Oct 26, 2018
Barb Green, Parish Nurse
Unless you have had a kidney stone, you have probably given little thought to your kidneys, even though they are vital to your overall health. Most of us have two kidneys each about the size of a fist, located on either side of the spine at the lowest level of the rib cage. Their major function is to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body. They also regulate the body’s salt, potassium and acid content, remove drugs from the body, balance fluids, release hormones that regulate blood pressure, produce vitamin D that promotes strong, healthy bones and control the production of red blood cells.
One in three American adults is at risk for kidney disease. Kidney disease often has no symptoms and can go undetected until very advanced. Major risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure and being age 60 or older. Checking for albumin in the urine and creatinine in the blood can be done to check for kidney disease. Ask your doctor about ordering these at your next physical.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition characterized by a gradual loss of kidney function over time. 30 million American adults have CKD and millions of others are at risk. Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD. Ironically, hypertension can cause kidney disease, and kidney disease can cause hypertension.
Causes of CKD include glomerulonephritis, a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the filtering units or glomeruli, inherited diseases such as polycystic kidney disease which causes large cysts to form in the kidneys and damage the surrounding tissue, malformations that occur during development in utero, obstructions by problems like kidney stones, tumors or an enlarged prostate gland in men and repeated urinary infections.
Most people do not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. Symptoms may include tiredness, trouble concentrating, poor appetite, trouble sleeping, muscle cramping at night, swollen feet and ankles, puffiness around your eyes (especially in the morning), dry, itchy skin, or the need to urinate more often, especially at night.
If your test results show that you have chronic kidney disease your doctor may calculate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which is the best way to tell how much kidney function you have. This tells the stage of your disease and helps the doctor plan your treatment. An ultrasound or CT scan may be ordered to show whether your kidneys are too large or too small, you have a kidney stone or tumor, and whether there are any problems in the structure of your kidneys and urinary tract. A kidney biopsy may be done to check for a specific type of kidney disease or see how much kidney damage has occurred. You may be referred to a kidney specialist.
Kidney diseases can be treated successfully. Careful control of diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure can help prevent it or keep it from getting worse. Kidney stones and urinary tract infections can be treated quite well. For unknown causes of kidney disease, treatments are not as available and disease can progress to kidney failure. Dialysis is the treatment when this occurs. A kidney transplant, which has a high success rate, may be needed.
The best way to avoid chronic kidney disease is to know and control your risk factors. This includes being careful of the over-the-counter medications that you take. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as Aleve and ibuprofen can cause kidney disease, especially in people over 60. Always consult your physician before self-medicating.
Information from National Kidney Foundation