Chronic Kidney Failure
Chronic kidney failure. This article explains what chronic kidney failure is. How it occurs. What the symptoms are. We will look for answers to questions such as whether there is any treatment.
Early diagnosis of chronic kidney failure saves lives; it is important to recognise the early symptoms of the disease and get tested.
Chronic kidney failure may not cause any symptoms at first. However, as the kidneys begin to fail, the body’s water and electrolyte balance becomes unbalanced and symptoms such as weakness and breathlessness begin to appear.
At this point, swelling begins to spread throughout the body, especially in the feet and legs, and the amount of urine decreases. This is followed by loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
The severity of the disease, to which the kidneys adapt easily, may not become apparent until the kidneys are severely damaged.
The earlier chronic kidney failure, a difficult disease because of the risk of loss of life and high costs, is diagnosed, the lower the risk of organ damage, loss and death.
Chronic kidney failure is a chronic disease that damages the kidneys and prevents them from performing their normal functions (such as removing toxic substances from the blood, maintaining fluid balance in the body and regulating blood pressure).
The disease is diagnosed and treated after months of increased urinary albumin excretion or a significant decrease in kidney function (glomerular filtration rate; GFR).
The disease can lead to serious complications such as high blood pressure, anaemia, bone and cardiovascular disease.
What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Failure?
- Inability to move Weakness Tiredness
- Inability to concentrate
- Reluctance to eat
- Inability to sleep
- Muscle cramps at night
- Swollen feet and legs
- Puffiness around the eyes, especially in the morning
- Increased urination, especially at night
In our country, the most common diseases causing chronic renal failure in recent years have been diabetes, hypertension and glomerulonephritis, followed by urological diseases, chronic tubulointerstitial diseases and pyelonephritis.
In childhood, the main causes of chronic kidney failure are vesicoureteral reflux and recurrent urological disease.
How Is Kidney Failure Diagnosed?
Chronic kidney disease or failure usually has no symptoms until it is in its final stages. For this reason, it can only be diagnosed with detailed urine and blood tests.
Diagnosis can be made by measuring creatinine in the blood, calculating the glomerular filtration rate and measuring protein and albumin in the urine. Structural kidney disease can also be detected by ultrasound of the abdomen and kidneys.
What Happens If kidney Disease Is Diagnosed Late?
If kidney disease is diagnosed late, the first stage is kidney failure due to advanced loss of kidney function and the need for dialysis or transplantation.
Another problem is sudden death from cardiovascular disease.
The risk of early death from coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease and heart failure is 10 times higher in people who appear healthy but have chronic kidney failure, whether or not they have chronic renal failure.
How Is Chronic Kidney Failure Treated?
Recent clinical trials and studies have shown that blocking the RAS with ACE inhibitors/ARBs significantly reduces the burden of disease from CVD, diabetes, hypertension and CKD.
The cost of these drugs is lower. ACE inhibitors and ARBs prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease and reduce albuminuria.
What Is The Incidence Of Chronic Kidney Failure?
More than half a billion people in the world have chronic kidney disease; in general, it is estimated that 1 in 10 people in the world has some degree of chronic kidney disease.
What Are The Rising Costs And Consequences Of Kidney Disease?
The cost of kidney failure has increased in recent years. There are almost 2 million people in the world who are on dialysis or have had a kidney transplant.
It is estimated that this number will double in the next 10 years. It is estimated that the total cost of dialysis and transplantation worldwide will exceed $1 trillion over the next 10 years.
In our country, it has been calculated that about $1 billion of the budget for chronic kidney failure patients is spent on dialysis.
While the majority of patients eligible for renal replacement therapy live in developed countries, this burden cannot be met in developing countries.
In countries like India and Pakistan, for example, very few patients who need renal replacement therapy receive it. In our country, however, dialysis treatment can be offered to all patients who have reached the end stage of their illness.
