Chronic kidney failure

Definition

Chronic kidney failure, also called chronic kidney disease, describes the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in your urine. When chronic kidney failure reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes can accumulate in your body.

In the early stages of chronic kidney failure, you may have few signs or symptoms. Chronic kidney failure may not become apparent until your kidney function is significantly impaired.

Treatment for chronic kidney failure focuses on slowing the progression of the kidney damage, usually by controlling the underlying cause. Chronic kidney failure can progress to end-stage kidney disease, which is fatal without artificial filtering (dialysis) or a kidney transplant.

Symtoms

Signs and symptoms of kidney failure develop slowly over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Signs and symptoms of kidney failure may include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue and weakness
• Sleep problems
• Changes in urine output
• Decreased mental sharpness
• Muscle twitches and cramps
• Hiccups
• Swelling of the feet and ankles
• Persistent itching
• Chest pain, if fluid accumulates around the lining of the heart
• Shortness of breath, if fluid accumulates in the lungs
• High blood pressure (hypertension) that's difficult to control

Signs and symptoms of kidney failure are often nonspecific, meaning they can also be caused by other illnesses. In addition, because your kidneys are highly adaptable and able to compensate for lost function, signs and symptoms of kidney failure may not appear until irreversible damage has occurred.

When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms.

If you have a medical condition that increases your risk of chronic kidney failure, your doctor is likely to monitor your blood pressure and kidney function with urine and blood tests during regular office visits. Ask your doctor whether these types of tests are right for you.

Causes

Chronic kidney failure occurs when a disease or condition impairs kidney function, causing kidney damage to worsen over several months or years.

Diseases and conditions that commonly cause chronic kidney failure include:

• Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Glomerulonephritis (gloe-mer-u-lo-nuh-FRY-tis), an inflammation of the kidney's filtering units (glomeruli)
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract, from conditions such as enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some cancers
• Vesicoureteral (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-ter-ul) reflux, a condition that causes urine to back up into your kidneys
• Recurrent kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase your risk of chronic kidney failure include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• African-American, Native-American or Asian-American race
• Family history of kidney disease
• Age 65 or older

Compications

Chronic kidney failure can affect almost every part of your body. Potential complications may include:

• Fluid retention, which could lead to swelling in your arms and legs, high blood pressure, or fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema)
• A sudden rise in potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia), which could impair your heart's ability to function and may be life-threatening
• Heart and blood vessel disease (cardiovascular disease)
• Weak bones and an increased risk of bone fractures
• Anemia
• Decreased sex drive or impotence
• Damage to your central nervous system, which can cause difficulty concentrating, personality changes or seizures
• Decreased immune response, which makes you more vulnerable to infection
• Pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac-like membrane that envelops your heart (pericardium)
• Pregnancy complications that carry risks for the mother and the developing fetus
• Irreversible damage to your kidneys (end-stage kidney disease), eventually requiring either dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival

References : http://www.mayoclinic.com/