Definition
In essence, chronic kidney disease is a condition where the
kidneys suffer from different types of symptoms, usually for a prolonged period of time. It is extremely rare that people diagnosed with this condition get permanent cure or treatment. Although this is the case, there are different ways to slow down its course, or to stop the condition from getting worse.
The Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease
People diagnosed with chronic kidney disease are those with underlying or preexisting medical conditions such as diabetes type II and hypertension. Some may have developed glomerulonephritis- a condition that easily may turn into chronic kidney disease when left untreated.
Other contributing factors to Chronic Kidney Disease are:
– heart conditions such as heart failure, previous myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular accident
– history of kidney disease in the family
– overweight or obesity
– tobacco smoking
– race as in the case of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander- group who have higher chances of developing chronic kidney disease
if you have one or more of these causative factors, it must be best to haveyour kidneys checked at least once a year.
There are different ways on how you can keep your kidneys healthy:
– maintain healthy weight
– balanced diet
– smoking cessation
– regular exercise
–Â Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease
Several diagnostic exams that your doctor may order to determine the presence of chronic disease include a comprehensive blood exam and urine tests. If you are found to be plagued with this chronic disorder, the medical intervention and prescribed treatments may be able to slow down its progression.
Doctors may find it necessary to change some of your existing
medications, as there are ingredients in other drugs that may be extremely harmful to the kidneys on the long term. Your specialist may prescribe you safer anti-inflammatory medications as well as hypertensives as needed.
When left untreated or if improper management was implemented, chronic kidney disease may then advance to Stage 5 also known as end-stage renal failure, wherein kidneys are at their worse condition. For those with end-stage kidney disease, patients may need to undergo kidney transplant or regular dialysis for life.
