Contents:
- Medical Video: Stages of Kidney Disease
- 1. Acute kidney injury is different from chronic kidney disease
- 2. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of kidney disease
- 3. Early stage kidney disease has no signs or symptoms
- 4. Kidney disease can be treated if detected early
- 5. Kidney disease usually settles for life
Medical Video: Stages of Kidney Disease
Your kidneys filter additional water and waste from your blood and make urine. Your kidneys also help control blood pressure so that your body can stay healthy.Kidney disease is a condition in which the kidney is damaged and cannot filter blood as it should. This damage can cause waste to accumulate in the body. This can also cause other problems that can endanger your health.
Here are the important facts you need to know about kidney disease.
1. Acute kidney injury is different from chronic kidney disease
For most people, kidney damage occurs slowly for years, often due to diabetes or high blood pressure. This is called chronic kidney disease. When a person has a sudden change in kidney function — because of illness, or injury, or because of a certain drug — this is called acute kidney injury. This can occur in people with normal kidneys or in someone who already has kidney problems.
Kidney disease is a developing problem. Anyone can develop kidney disease, regardless of age or race. The main risk factors for developing kidney disease are:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular disease (heart and blood vessels)
- Family history of kidney failure
2. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of kidney disease
Both of these conditions over the years can slowly damage the kidneys.
3. Early stage kidney disease has no signs or symptoms
You may not feel anything until kidney disease has progressed to become more severe. A blood and urine test is the only way to find out if you have kidney disease. Blood test checking level glomerular filtration (GFR) you, which shows how well your kidneys filter. A urine test checks the protein in your urine.
4. Kidney disease can be treated if detected early
The sooner you know that you have kidney disease, the faster you can get treatment to help delay or prevent kidney failure. Treatment may include using a drug called ACE inhibitors or ARBs to manage high blood pressure and keep your kidneys healthy for longer. Treating kidney disease can also help prevent heart disease.
5. Kidney disease usually settles for life
Kidney disease may also make the condition worse over time and can cause kidney failure. If kidney failure occurs, treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant will be needed. Kidney disease can also cause other health conditions including heart disease. In fact, people with kidney disease are more likely to experience a stroke or heart attack.
READ ALSO:
- 3 Types of Foods That Can Cause Kidney Stones
- List of foods that must be restricted by patients with kidney disease
- What is the Kidney Transplant Process Like?
