What is Chronic Kidney Disease? Chronic kidney disease is the loss of kidney function over the time of a few months or years. Each kidney is made of millions of tiny filters called nephrons. When these nephrons get damaged they stop working. If the kidney disease progresses and more amore nephrons get damaged, the left out nephrons become incapable to filter the blood completely. Gradually, the kidneys become inefficient and this leads to the buildup of waste products in the blood. This condition is called kidney failure. Facts about Kidney Disease Needless to say, kidney disease is a silent disease, and the initial stages of chronic kidney disease do not show any symptoms. Chronic kidney disease is progressive, but it can be treated. The progression of kidney disease leads to kidney failure, and kidney failure affects the entire body and can make the person very sick. It is important to know that untreated kidney failure can be life-threatening.
What are the Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease? The most common causes for kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. However, sometimes kidney disease may be inherited, such as polycystic kidney disease, and may sometimes be caused by infections or inflammation and due to longstanding of the urinary system caused by kidney stones or prostatitis. Painkillers or analgesics and antibiotics taken over a long period of time also cause chronic kidney disease.
Kidney Diseases are Harmful Kidney diseases are harmful irrespective of age or gender. They are often causes of premature death. Many people die prematurely due to the complications caused by Chronic Kidney Disease. If Chronic Kidney Disease is not treated properly it leads to End Stage Renal Disease, and there are only two treatment options for kidney disease i.e., dialysis and kidney replacement. As mentioned before, Chronic Kidney Disease causes a number of complications in the body including anemia, bone disease and cardiovascular disease. An individual with Chronic Kidney Disease can die prematurely from cardiovascular disease. It is worthy to note that most people with kidney failure do not die of kidney failure but because of the complications like heart attack caused by the condition. Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease: CKD is divided into 5 stages depending on the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The following table shows the stage of kidney disease indicated by the GFR and how it is managed. Kidney Disease Stage
GFR
Stage 1
90 or Kidney damage above with normal or high GFR
60-89
Stage 2
Description
Kidney damage with slightly lower GFR
Stage 3
30-59
Kidney damage with moderately low GFR
Stage 4
15-29
Kidney damage with severely low GFR
Management
The cause of kidney damage will be identified and treatment will be begun. Management of other health problems such as diabetes and hypertension The doctor will estimate how quickly the kidney disease is progressing Diabetes and hypertension will be kept under control You will need regular monitoring You will be checked by the doctor for anemia and bone disease and begin treatment You will have to decide along with your doctor as to what treatment you will prefer if kidney failure develops The doctor will continue to monitor your
Stage 5
<15
Kidney failure
ď&#x201A;ˇ ď&#x201A;ˇ
health condition closely You will have to start dialysis or have a kidney transplant. You will have to see your doctor regularly for treatment and testing
How is CKD Treated? If Chronic Kidney Disease is detected early, the progression of the disease can be controlled and the risk of associated heart disease minimized. Proper diet and medications will help maintain the chemical balances in the body that the kidneys normally maintain. Blood pressure rises in patients with kidney disease. So, it is important to control blood pressure through medication and also treat proteinuria, if there is leakage of protein into the urine. Timely treatment can help prevent the progression of the kidney disease and the complications associated with it.