Prevention
Changing habits, identifying kidney disease early
High blood pressure and diabetes are the main causes of chronic kidney failure. Preventing both diseases lowers the risk of chronic kidney disease. Losing weight and exercising as well as eating less salt, more fruits and fewer saturated fats can help avoid these diseases as well as quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. Having your blood pressure checked regularly is also recommended.
Other potential causes of chronic kidney failure include infections in the kidney tissues, excessive use of certain medications – such as pain killers – and other, sometimes genetic diseases such as polycystic kidney disease.
Kidney disease is often discovered late
Chronic kidney diseases often develop slowly and without early symptoms, leading to late detection. Symptoms can include water retention in tissues (eyelids, or swollen legs), pain while urinating or in the kidney region, blood in the urine, low urine levels (less than half a liter per day) as well as severe muscle weakness (myasthenia), fever, fatigue and tiredness. Blood and urine tests are usually used to diagnose kidney failure.
Treating the causes
There is no cure for chronic kidney failure. Damaged kidney tissue cannot be regenerated or repaired. Still, it is possible to treat the causes of kidney failure. Drugs and special diets can prevent or at least slow further damage to kidney tissues. Going without dialysis or a transplant when just five to ten percent of the tissue continues to function can be life-threatening.
By comparison, the kidneys can recover from acute kidney failure – potentially caused by shock, severe blood loss or poisoning – with proper medical treatment. In this case, short-term kidney-replacement therapy is usually necessary. However, it can take up to a year for the kidneys to fully recover and resume their normal function.
For more information about kidney patient care, please visit the UltraCare website of Fresenius Medical Care North America.