How Does the Kidney Function

Chronic kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney failure, is characterised by a progressive loss of kidney function. Wastes and excess fluids in your blood are filtered by your kidneys and excreted in your urine. Advanced chronic kidney disease can result in dangerously high levels of fluid, electrolytes, and wastes in your body.

You may have few signs or symptoms in the early stages of chronic kidney disease. You might not realize you have kidney disease until it is too late.

Chronic kidney disease treatment focuses on slowing the progression of kidney damage, usually by addressing the underlying cause. However, even if the cause is controlled, kidney damage may progress. Chronic kidney disease can lead to the end-stage kidney failure, which is fatal in the absence of artificial filtering (dialysis) or a kidney transplant.

Kidney Function

The kidneys are the pair of bean-shaped organs located on either side of your spine, beneath your ribs and behind your stomach. Each kidney is about 4 to 5 inches long, the size of a large fist.

It is the kidney’s job to filter your blood. They eliminate wastes of the regulated fluid balance, and maintain proper electrolyte levels in the body. Every drop of the blood in your body passes through them approximately 40 times per day.

Blood enters the kidney, waste is excreted, and salt, water, and minerals are adjusted as needed. The filtered blood is then reintroduced into the body. Waste is converted into urine, which collects in the kidney’s pelvis – a funnel-shaped structure that drains to the bladder via a tube called the ureter.

Each kidney contains millions of tiny filters known as nephrons. You might only have 10% of your kidneys working and not notice any symptoms or problems.

Causes

Chronic kidney disease occurs when a disease or condition impairs kidney function, causing kidney damage to worsen over time.

Chronic kidney disease is caused by a variety of diseases and conditions, including:

• Diabetes type 1 or diabetes type 2
• Blood pressure is too high.
• Glomerulonephritis is the inflammation of the filtering units of the kidneys. 
• Interstitial nephritis is an inflammation of the tubules and surrounding structures of the kidneys.
• Other inherited kidney diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease
• Prolonged urinary tract obstruction caused by conditions such as an enlarged prostate, kidney stones, and some cancers
• vesicoureteral vesicoureteral vesicare (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-tur-ul) Reflux is a condition in which urine backs up into your kidneys.
• Repeated kidney infection, also known as pyelonephritis (pie-uh-low-nuh-FRY-tis).

Symptoms

If kidney damage progresses slowly, signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease develop over time. A loss of kidney function can result in a buildup of fluid or body waste, as well as electrolyte imbalances. Depending on the severity, kidney function loss can result in:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Appetite loss
• Weakness and fatigue
• Sleep issues
• Decreased mental sharpness due to increased or decreased urination
• Cramps in the muscles
• Foot and ankle swelling
• Itchy, dry skin
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) that is difficult to control
• Shortness of breath if fluid accumulates in the lungs
• If fluid accumulates around the heart’s lining, it can cause chest pain.

The signs and symptoms of kidney disease are frequently vague. As a result, they can be caused by other illnesses as well. Because your kidneys can compensate for lost function, you may not notice any symptoms until irreversible damage has occurred.

Risk factors

The following factors can increase your risk of chronic kidney disease:

• Diabetes
• Blood pressure is too high.
• Heart disease (cardiovascular disease)
• Smoking \sObesity
• Being African-American, Native American, or Asian-American Having a family history of kidney disease
• Kidney structure abnormality Older age
• Use of medications that can harm the kidneys on a regular basis

Complications

Chronic kidney disease can have an impact on almost every organ in your body. Complications that could arise include:

• Fluid retention can cause swelling in your arms and legs, high blood pressure, and fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema)
• A sudden increase in potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia), which can impair heart function and be fatal.
• Anemia
• Cardiovascular disease
• Weak bones and a higher risk of fractures
• Reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, or in the infertility
• Damage to your central nervous system can result in difficulty concentrating, personality changes, or seizures.
• Reduced immune responses, making you more susceptible to infection
• Pericarditis is an inflammation of the sac-like membrane that surrounds the heart (pericardium)
• Complications of pregnancy pose risks to both the mother and the developing foetus.
• End-stage kidney disease causes irreversible kidney damage, necessitating dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival.

Kidney Tests

Urinalysis

A routine urine test performed by a machine and, in some cases, by a person using a microscope. Urinalysis can assist in the diagnosis of infections, inflammation, microscopic bleeding, and kidney damage.

Kidney ultrasound: 

A probe pressed against the skin reflects sound waves off the kidneys, resulting in images on a screen. Ultrasound can detect urinary flow obstructions, stones, cysts, and suspicious masses in the kidneys.

Computed tomography (CT) scan

A CT scanner uses X-rays to create detailed images of the kidneys.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan:

A scanner creates high-resolution images of the kidneys by using radio waves in a magnetic field.

Urine and blood cultures:

If an infection is suspected, blood and urine cultures may be used to identify the bacteria that is causing it. This can aid in the targeting of antibiotic therapy.

Ureteroscopy

An endoscope (a flexible tube with a camera on the end) is inserted into the bladder and ureters through the urethra. Ureteroscopy cannot reach the kidneys directly, but it can help treat conditions that affect the ureters.

Kidney biopsy

A small piece of kidney tissue is removed with a needle inserted into the back. A microscope examination of kidney tissue may aid in the diagnosis of a kidney problem.

Kidney Treatments

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial kidney infections. Blood or urine cultures are frequently used to aid in the selection of antibiotic therapy.

Nephrostomy

A catheter is inserted through the skin into the kidney. Urine then drains directly from the kidney, avoiding any obstructions in urine flow.

Lithotripsy

Some kidney stones may be broken up into small pieces that pass through the urine. Typically, lithotripsy is performed using a machine that sends ultrasound shock waves through the body.

Nephrectomy

A kidney is removed during surgery. Nephrectomy is a surgical procedure used to treat kidney cancer or severe kidney damage.

Dialysis

Artificial blood filtering to replace the work that damaged kidneys can’t do. Hemodialysis is a most common type of dialysis in the United States.

Hemodialysis

Artificial blood filtering to replace the work that damaged kidneys are unable to perform. In the United States, hemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis

By introducing large amounts of a special fluid into the abdomen via a catheter, the body is able to filter the blood using the natural membrane lining the abdomen. After a while, the waste-containing fluid is drained and discarded.

Kidney transplant

Transplanting a kidney into an ESRD patient can help restore kidney function. A kidney transplant can be performed on a living donor or a recently deceased organ donor.

Conclusion

Chronic kidney disease, is also known as chronic kidney failure, is characterised by a progressive loss of kidney function. Wastes and excess fluids in your blood are filtered by your kidneys and excreted in your urine. Chronic kidney diseases treatment focus on slowing the progression of kidney damage, usually by addressing the underlying cause. However, even if the cause is control, kidney damage may progress. It is the kidney job to filter your blood. They eliminate wastes of the regulate fluid balance, and maintain proper electrolyte levels in the body. Blood enter in the kidney, waste is excreted, and salt, water, and minerals are adjusted as needed. A probe pressed against the skin reflects sound waves off the kidneys, resulting in images on a screen.