Kidney Disorder
Kidney disease disrupts the body’s ability to effectively filter blood, remove excess water, and regulate blood pressure. Additionally, it can impair red blood cell production and hinder vitamin D metabolism essential for bone health.Your body houses two kidneys situated on either side of your spine, just above your waist.
Damage to the kidneys leads to the accumulation of waste products and fluid, resulting in symptoms like ankle swelling, nausea, weakness, disrupted sleep, and shortness of breath. Without intervention, kidney function deteriorates, potentially leading to complete failure, a serious and life-threatening condition.
Healthy kidneys perform the following functions:
- Maintain a proper balance of water and essential minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, in the bloodstream.
- Eliminate waste from the blood resulting from digestion, muscle activity, and exposure to chemicals or medications.
- Produce renin, a substance vital for regulating blood pressure.
- Produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells.
- Generate an active form of vitamin D crucial for bone health and various bodily processes.
- Filter the entire blood volume in your body approximately every 30 minutes.
Kidneys possess remarkable adaptability and can compensate for certain issues associated with kidney disease. Consequently, symptoms may manifest gradually over time as kidney damage progresses slowly. In fact, symptoms might not become noticeable until the disease has advanced significantly.
Potential symptoms of kidney disease include:
- High blood pressure
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- A metallic taste in the mouth
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep disturbances
- Muscle twitches and cramps
- Swelling in the feet and ankles
If you’re diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, it signifies a long-term condition that requires ongoing management between you and your doctor. The primary objective is to decelerate its progression, enabling your kidneys to maintain their functionality.
Initially, your doctor will investigate the underlying cause of the kidney disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Collaboration with a nephrologist, a specialist in kidney disease, may be necessary.
Treatment typically involves medication and dietary adjustments. For those with diabetes, meticulous management is imperative. If kidney function declines irreversibly, dialysis, a process wherein a machine filters the blood, may be required, and the possibility of a kidney transplant can be explored.
Medications commonly prescribed for kidney disease, particularly in managing blood pressure, include:
ACE inhibitors:
- Captopril (Capoten)
- Enalapril (Vasotec)
- Fosinopril (Monopril)
- Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
- Ramipril (Altace)
ARBs (Angiotensin II receptor blockers):
- Azilsartan (Edarbi)
- Eprosartan (Teveten)
- Irbesartan (Avapro)
- Losartan (Cozaar)
- Olmesartan (Benicar)
- Valsartan (Diovan)