Contents:
- Medical Video: Risk Factors For Chronic Kidney Disease - Manipal Hospital
- Risk factors for kidney disease that you can control
- 1. Blockage
- 2. Overuse of painkillers and antibiotic allergic reactions
- 3. Drug abuse
- 4. Inflammation
- 5. Color x-ray tests
- 6. History of kidney disease in the family
- 7. Premature birth
- 8. Age
- 9. Trauma or accident
- 10. Certain diseases
Medical Video: Risk Factors For Chronic Kidney Disease - Manipal Hospital
If you have risk factors, that means you are more likely to suffer from a health problem than someone who has no risk factors. However, that does not mean that you will definitely have the disease.
Some risk factors, such as age or family history, are beyond your control. But you can control other risk factors and may slow or even prevent some diseases. For example, maintaining your blood pressure and blood sugar in a range of targets that can help your kidneys work longer.
Risk factors for kidney disease that you can control
1. Blockage
Urine can back up in one or both kidneys and cause damage, if:
- You have a scar from a kidney infection.
- You have a birth defect that causes it to harden in one or both ureters (the channel that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder).
- Blood clots or cholesterol plaques block kidney blood vessels.
- Kidney stones block the flow of urine from the kidneys
What can you do: Some blockages can be corrected to help save function in the blocked kidney. Kidney stones can be treated. If you know or think that you might have a blockage, ask your doctor what can be done about it.
2. Overuse of painkillers and antibiotic allergic reactions
Excessive use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pills (NSAIDs) has been linked to inflammation of the kidneys which can cause kidney failure. This drug problem can cause calledinterstitial nephritis. Beware of drugs with this ingredient:
- Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®)
- Naproxen (Aleve®)
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol ®)
One pill per day is not harmful to men (at least) not at risk for kidney disease.
Allergic reactions to, or side effects from, antibiotics such as penicillin and vancomycin can also cause nephritis and kidney damage.
What can you do: If you use this medicine every day, make sure that the doctor knows this. Especially important if you already have known kidney problems. When you use a new drug, report any new symptoms with your doctor. Just because you can buy something at a drug store without a prescription does not mean that it is harmless.
3. Drug abuse
Drug use can harm the kidneys and can cause kidney failure and the need for dialysis. These drugs include:
- Aerosol
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Ketamine
- LSD
- Methamphetamines
- Oxycontin
- PCP
- Poppers
What can you do: If you use this medicine, know that these drugs can endanger your health and seek help to stop. Be honest with your doctor about your health history because doctors cannot help you without knowing complete information.
4. Inflammation
Certain diseases, such as Glomerulonephritis (kidney filter is inflamed), can damage the kidneys. Sometimes the damage is enough to cause kidney failure. Some glomerulonephritis is inherited in the family. Some may be an immune response to infections such as sore throat.
What you can do: Know your family history. Check with your doctor every time you have a bad sore throat, and treat strep infections to reduce this risk.
5. Color x-ray tests
Dyes used to increase contrast (to make soft tissue appear on X-rays, CT scans, and MRI) can harm the kidneys. This risk is higher if:
- You already have some kidney damage
- You have congestive heart failure
- You have diabetes
- You are dehydrated before an X-ray test is performed
- Your systolic blood pressure (top number) is 80 or lower
- You are 75 years old or older
What you can do:
- Talk to your doctor, especially if you have risk factors. Make sure that X-ray tests with contrast are the only way to find out what he needs to know. In some cases, plain or ultrasound X-ray films can work well.
- Ask your doctor about n-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant consumed for several days before the test. In several studies, NAC has helped protect the kidneys from damage caused by contrast agents.
- Make sure the radiologist knows the status of your kidney so that he can take precautions.
- Ask the radiologist if you can have IV with bicarbonate before and during the test. Several studies have shown that this can help protect the kidneys, although other studies have not found that this substance is better than normal saline.
6. History of kidney disease in the family
If you have one or more family members who have chronic kidney disease, who have dialysis, or have had a kidney transplant, you may be at higher risk. One inherited disease, polycystic kidney disease (PKD), causes large fluid-filled cysts that can push out normal kidney tissue. Diabetes and high blood pressure can also decrease in the family. Find out about your family history and tell your doctor. This can ensure that you are checked for risk factors and get the care you need.
7. Premature birth
About one in five very premature babies (less than 32 weeks) may have calcium deposits in the kidney filter (nephrons). This is called nephrocalcinosis. Some people who have this may continue to have kidney problems later on.
8. Age
Kidney function decreases with age. The older you are, the greater your risk.
9. Trauma or accident
Accidents, injuries, multiple surgeries, and X-ray coloring can reduce blood flow to the kidneys. This can result in sudden acute kidney failure. Some acute kidney failure will improve, but the risk of chronic kidney disease is much higher if your kidney has failed previously for any reason.
10. Certain diseases
Having certain diseases can make you at a higher risk for kidney disease. This disease includes:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (connective tissue disease)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Cancer
- AIDS
- Hepatitis C
- Congestive heart failure
