Detailed Information on Kidney Failure
- By:Juliet Cohen
Kidneys are a pair of organs located just behind the stomach. They filter bacteria and extra salt and water from the body. Healthy kidneys clean the blood by filtering out extra water and wastes. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and blood healthy. Kidney failure is a serious disease which can have a major impact on life, and can ultimately be fatal. Kidney failure can happen quickly (days) or more slowly (months or years). The common causes of kidney failure are glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney) and diabetes mellitus. Other causes of kidney failure are kidney stones, kidney cysts, an immune disorder called systemic lupus erythematosus, uncontrolled high blood pressure and drugs. Most people with chronic kidney failure need to take medicines.
Severe injuries or burns to your body and difficult surgery increase your risk of acute kidney failure, as can an overwhelming infection. Sometimes, a person with a life-threatening infection who receives an antibiotic, such as streptomycin or gentamicin, may go into acute kidney failure. There are three options when treating kidney failure. Hemodialysis ,Peritoneal dialysis and Kidney transplant.Hemodialysis is a procedure that cleans and filters your blood. It rids your body of harmful wastes and extra salt and fluids. It also controls blood pressure and helps your body keep the proper balance of chemicals such as potassium, sodium, and chloride. Hemodialysis uses a dialyzer, or special filter, to clean your blood. The dialyzer connects to a machine.
During treatment, your blood travels through tubes into the dialyzer. The dialyzer filters out wastes and extra fluids. Peritoneal dialysis is another technique that replaces the work of your kidneys. It removes extra water, wastes, and chemicals from your body. This type of dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen to filter your blood. There are three types of peritoneal dialysis. CAPD is the most common type of peritoneal dialysis. It needs no machine. It can be done in any clean, well-lit place. CCPD is like CAPD except that a machine, which connects to your catheter, automatically fills and drains the dialysate from your abdomen. IPD uses the same type of machine as CCPD to add and drain the dialysate. Kidney transplantation is a procedure that places a healthy kidney from another person.
Kidney Failure Treatment and Prevention Tips
1. Do not drink alcohol or use illegal.
2. Do not smoke or use other tobacco products.
3. A low-protein diet may help prevent the progression of kidney failure
4. Immunosuppressive drugs is very helpful but,require very careful monitoring.
5. Avoid taking medicines that can damage your kidneys, like ibuprofen and naproxen.
6. ACE Inhibitors / ARB's medications have been shown to have some benefit for the kidneys.
7. When the kidneys can no longer remove enough toxins and extra fluid to keep your alive, you need dialysis.
8. Exercise may help you control diabetes and high blood pressure, which can lead to kidney disease.About the author:
Juliet Cohen writes articles for Diseases. She also writes articles for Makeup and Hairstyles.