KIDNEY DISEASE

kidney disease

kidney disease

Nephrologists determine kidney disease treatment based on preexisting conditions and the degree to which the organs have been damaged. Kidney disease may include mild to extensive disorders which limit their function. But before physicians can prescribe treatment, health conditions which contribute toward malfunctioning must be addressed. The leading causes of failure are high blood pressure, or hypertension; diabetes; and cardiovascular disease.

Patients that experience disorders due to hypertension should have blood pressure monitored and begin taking prescribed medications which will not interfere with kidney disease treatment. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes are also placed on medication and restrictive diets which limit glucose intake. Heart patients may suffer from congestive heart failure; atherosclerosis; arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats; or blockages which obstruct the flow of oxygen-enriched blood to the kidneys. Urinary tract infections, uremic syndrome, and anemia are also considerations. People with sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder which causes red blood cells to form sickled shapes, experience fluid retention and joint pain and are also prone kidney disorders.

Once doctors have properly diagnosed overt and covert conditions, kidney disease treatment begins with trying to eliminate or control disorders which contribute to decreased organ viability, with the idea of restoring functionality. The kidneys are two fist-shaped organs which filter toxins and waste products from the body in the form of urine. Part of the urinary tract, the organs are essential to proper elimination of waste and toxins; and the overall health of an individual. Without the kidneys or an artifical machine, death would be certain. Kidney disease treatment includes blood and urine tests to determine the extent of damage. Urologists try to detect the presence of infection, or glucose or protein in the urine, an indication of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or damage to the glomeruli, which filter the kidneys of waste products. A creatinine test will determine the amount of creatinine in the blood and the rate the organs are being filtered. Chronic kidney disease is rated in stages from one to five. At stage one, the glomeruli are filtering at a normal rate; conversely stage four indicates a severe decrease in functionality.

Regardless of the diagnosis, patients who suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes must remain on medication to prevent the force of the blood flowing to the kidneys from damaging vessels or the organ itself; and from excessively high blood sugar levels, which cause abnormal amounts of protein in the urine. A nephrologist can conduct intensive testing or a biopsy to determine the extent of damage. A biopsy examines a small tissue sample to determine the type of disorder prior to prescribing kidney disease treatment. While patients at stages one through three can improve with sustained medication; individuals that suffer organ failure or chronic deterioration must go on dialysis. (Beebe LE,).

As a standard kidney disease treatment, dialysis involves artificially filtering the blood through a system of special tubing, then replacing it back into the patient's body. In hemodialysis, patients are hooked up to an artificial kidney machine, ...