Kidney Failure

Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney failure can be sudden or progressive. Death can result from kidney failure when it is left untreated.
Symptoms may include leg swelling, feeling tired, vomiting, loss of appetite, and confusion. Complications of acute and chronic failure include uremia, hyperkalaemia, and volume overload. Complications of chronic failure also include heart disease, high blood pressure, and anaemia.
Causes of acute kidney failure include low blood pressure, blockage of the urinary tract, certain medications, muscle breakdown, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Causes of chronic kidney failure include diabetes, high blood pressure, nephrotic syndrome, and polycystic kidney disease.
== Symptoms ==
Kidney failure has many symptoms. Symptoms may be sudden (acute kidney failure) or progressive (chronic kidney failure). The symptoms of kidney failure include:
*Nausea and vomiting
*Diarrhea
*Weight loss
*Loss of appetite
*Changes in how you urinate much, like more or less frequent urination
*Blood in urine
*Pain or pressure when urinating
*Foamy or bubbly urine
*Urine won't come out even bladder is full
*Dizziness, lightheadedness, or vertigo
*Fatigue and weakness
*Tiredness
*Muscle cramps
*Itching
*Bone damage
*Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
*Chest pain
*Swelling of the hands, legs, ankles, feet, and face
*Confusion, memory loss and difficulty concentrating
*Fainting
*Insomnia
*Seizures
*Back pain
*Darkening of the skin
*Loss of consciousness
== Causes and risk factors ==
=== Causes of progressive kidney failure ===
Diabetes and hypertension are the most common causes of chronic kidney failure. Other causes of chronic kidney failure include:
*Smoking
*Drinking alcohol
*Drugs
*Obesity
*Hypercholesterolemia
*Family history
*Age, gender, or race
*Syndromes of the kidneys
*Polycystic kidney disease
*Infections involving the kidneys, such as hantavirus or nephritis.
=== Causes of sudden kidney failure ===
Acute kidney failure usually occurs when the blood supply to the kidneys is suddenly interrupted or when the kidneys become overloaded with toxins. Acute means sudden. Causes of acute kidney injury include accidents, injuries, or complications from surgeries in which the kidneys are deprived of normal blood flow for extended periods of time. Heart-bypass surgery is an example of one such procedure.
Drug overdoses, accidental or from chemical overloads of drugs such as antibiotics or chemotherapy, along with bee stings, may also cause sudden kidney failure.
Diabetes and hypertension causes chronic kidney failure but not acute kidney failure.
== Treatment ==
Acute kidney failure treatment depends on the cause. Chronic kidney failure treatment includes renal replacement therapies, which are hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplant. Diet may also treat kidney failure.
Category:Kidneys
Category:Organ failure