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FAQ Tell me about specific kidney diseases What is Chronic Kidney Disease? How can Chronic Kidney Disease be discovered in good time? What are the tests for Kidney Disease? What can be done about Chronic Kidney Disease What are the kidneys? The kidneys are a "matched" pair of bean-shaped organs located at the back of the abdomen (behind the liver and intestines) in the small of the back on either side of the spine. Each is 11-14 cms (5-6 inches) long. Read more on EdREN, the website of the Renal Unit of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
What do kidneys do? Healthy kidneys do a number of important things. They remove wastes and toxins from the body by filtering the blood, and by varying the amount of urine passed (depending on how much we drink) the kidneys make sure the body retains the right amount of water. Read more on The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website
Tell me about specific kidney diseases Click here to find out about some more common kidney disease areas on Kidney Research UK website
What is Chronic Kidney Disease? Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a phrase that embraces the majority of renal conditions. It can be thought of as a thief that works quietly at night, without creating any disturbance. CKD is quite often found by accident when doctor carries out tests to investigate something else - say a routine employment medical screening and then discovers signs of kidney disease at early or moderate stage. Read more on Kidney Research UK website
How common is CKD? Recent research suggests that the lives of over 3 million people in the UK today are under threat from chronic kidney disease.
How can Chronic Kidney Disease be discovered in good time? Because early CKD is usually silent, it has to be specifically looked for in patients at increased risk (see below). A small proportion of people may have symptoms such as recurrent urinary infections, marked ankle swelling or blood in the urine. These symptoms should be drawn to your GPs attention.
What are the tests for Kidney Disease? Both blood and urine tests are used to diagnose kidney disease. A fresh sample of urine can be tested with a dipstick to show if it contains blood or protein, either of which might indicate kidney disease. Blood can be tested to measure how the kidneys are managing to filter out waste products. The result is expressed as eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) which is an approximation of percentage of normal function.
What do the eGFR tests mean? There are 5 categories of CKD, called stages.
What causes Kidney Disease? The commonest causes are high blood pressure and diabetes. In both of these it usually takes many years before the kidneys become affected. It is more common if the blood pressure or the diabetes hasn’t been as well controlled as it should be. Other less common conditions are caused by inflammation (glomerulonephritis) or infection (pyelonephritis). Sometimes kidney disease is inherited (polycystic disease) or the result of longstanding blockage (such as enlarged prostate or kidney stones). Some drugs can cause kidney diseases, especially some pain-killing drugs (analgesics) if taken over a long time. Often it isn’t possible to say what has caused the problem. Read more on The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website
Am I at risk? Although anyone can develop CKD, there are few things that can increase your risk:
If you are concerned about your risk of CKD, talk to your doctor or health care professional. It could save your life
What can be done about Chronic Kidney Disease? What can I do to help myself?
What is Kidney Failure? Kidney failure is where the kidneys are less able to remove toxic wastes and remove excess water. Read more on National Kidney Federation website
What is dialysis? Dialysis is the removal of body wastes and water from the blood. There are two types: haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Read more on Kidney Patient Guide website. |
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