Kidney Failure : Causes, Symptoms & Management

Mar 20 , 2015 | 1 min read

The main function of the kidneys is to eliminate excess fluid and waste material from the blood. When the kidneys lose this filtering ability, dangerous levels of fluid and waste accumulate in the body leading to a condition known as kidney or renal failure. This may be due to various factors including infections, autoimmune diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension and kidney stones. Kidney failure usually occurs in the late stages of the disease processes. Once kidney failure occurs, it requires immediate management and even then prognosis is often not satisfactory unless kidney transplantation is done.

Know the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment for kidney failure

Symptoms

Reduced Urine Output
Generalized Swelling of the body
Blood in the urine
Increased fatigue and tiredness
Nocutria (increased frequency of urination at night)
Vomiting, oedema and high blood pressure
Loss of appetite

Diagnosis

Urine examination is done to determine the presence of protein, sugar, casts and crystals , pH and specific gravity and the quantity of sodium. Blood tests includes tests of renal function like :

Blood Urea Nitrogen
Serum Creatinine
Serum electrolytes
Creatinine clearance or more commonly, estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR), an important index of renal function used to estimate the level of kidney function in CKD patients.