Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease is defined as the presence of kidney damage, or a decreased level of kidney function, for a period of three months or more. CKD can be divided into five stages, depending on how severe the damage is to the kidneys, or the level of decrease in kidney function. Stage 5 or end-stage is when the kidney is severely impaired and filters around 15mL/min of blood or less making it difficult for the excretion of waste which works with the other bodily systems to keep a person alive. Stage 5 is often associated with kidney failure as a person is put at high risk without efficient blood filteration. Damage to the nephrons in the kidney is what causes kidney disease and damage can be done in various ways. Genetic causes, high blood pressure and toxins from medications can all alter the function of the kidney stopping it from carrying out filtration, reabsorption and secretion which are all essential in cleaning the blood and maintaining a chemical balance. In a damaged kidney the nephron is less efficient at filtering urea, proteins and creatinine which leads to higher levels left in the blood. A normal functioning nephron is able to filter and reabsorb the urea and creatinine while leaving the proteins in the blood to be carried to through the blood stream to the rest of the body. Urine excreted by a damaged kidney contains a high level of protein due to leaks in the membrane.
Causes |
The most common causes of kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries (which damages the blood vessels in the kidney). Some kidney diseases are caused by an inflammation of the kidneys, called nephritis. This may be due to an infection or to an autoimmune reaction where the body's immune or defence system attacks and damages the kidneys. Other kidney diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease are caused by problems with the shape or size of the kidneys (anatomic disorders), while other kidney diseases interfere with the inner workings of the kidneys (metabolic disorders). Most metabolic kidney disorders are rare, since they need to be inherited from both parents.
Other common causes of kidney failure include certain medications that can be toxic to kidney tissue, and blockages of the system that drains the kidneys (which can occur with prostate problems).
Other common causes of kidney failure include certain medications that can be toxic to kidney tissue, and blockages of the system that drains the kidneys (which can occur with prostate problems).