The kidney's main job is to filter waste products and excess fluid from your body. Every day, the kidneys filter about 200 quarts of fluid. About two quarts leave the body in the form of urine, while the remainder is retained in the body. When the kidneys no longer perform these functions adequately due to injury or disease, wastes and excess fluid build up in the blood. When these two diseases are controlled by treatment, the associated kidney disease can often be prevented or slowed down.
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Careful control of blood sugar in diabetes helps to prevent complications including kidney disease, heart problems and strokes. In many cases, the cause of this disease is not known, but some cases may be inherited and others may be triggered by an infection. Some of the other conditions that may affect the kidneys include kidney stones and inherited diseases such as polycystic kidney disease. Some of these diseases can be cured. In other cases, treatments can help to slow the disease and prolong life.