Your kidneys are the unsung heroes in your body, tirelessly working around the clock to keep you healthy. Their main job is to filter the blood and remove excess fluids, wastes, and toxins for elimination in the urine. But they also perform other important functions such as maintaining a balance of fluids, electrolytes, and acids in the body, and producing hormones and enzymes that help regulate blood pressure, stimulate red blood cell production, and activate vitamin D. The bottom line is that your kidneys do a lot of things to keep you healthy, so if they malfunction, it can wreak havoc on your body and cause a wide range of health problems.

The most common problem of the kidneys is chronic kidney disease (CKD), a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

In celebration of National Kidney Month, Trinity has prepared an article about CKD including its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as practical tips on how to maintain optimal kidney health.

What is CKD?

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a condition characterized by gradual decline of kidney function. It is called “chronic” because it is a long-term condition that typically progresses over many years before causing symptoms.

If the kidneys do not function as they should, it can cause several problems including anemia, bone disease, cardiovascular disease, and poor immune function.

Being a progressive disease, CKD gets worse over time. If left untreated, it can lead to kidney failure (also known as End Stage Kidney Disease) – a life-threatening condition wherein the kidneys are severely damaged and have lost all their ability to function properly. People who develop kidney failure will need to undergo dialysis or a kidney transplant in order to survive.

What are the causes of CKD?

CKD is usually caused by health problems that damage your kidneys little by little throughout many years.

The most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure which are responsible for two-thirds of CKD cases. Both of these conditions can strain the delicate blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to a gradual loss of function over time.

Other conditions that can cause CKD include the following:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of kidneys’ filtering units)
  • Interstitial nephritis (inflammation of kidneys’ tubules and surrounding structures)
  • Polycystic kidney disease (an inherited condition where multiple cysts develop in the kidneys)
  • Certain autoimmune diseases that affect the kidneys (i.e., lupus)
  • Congenital abnormalities in the kidneys
  • Pyelonephritis (recurrent kidney infection)

Certain risk factors can also increase your chances of having CKD including older age, smoking, obesity, family history of kidney disease, or long-term use of certain medications such as pain relievers (i.e., aspirin and ibuprofen).

What are the signs and symptoms of CKD?

CKD does not usually cause any symptoms in its early stages. This is why many people with CKD do not know that they have it and are diagnosed late in the course of illness.

Symptoms typically only begin to appear when the disease has progressed to its more advanced stage, at which point symptoms may include:

  • chest pain
  • dry skin
  • itching or numbness
  • feeling tired
  • headaches
  • increased or decreased urination
  • loss of appetite
  • muscle cramps
  • nausea
  • shortness of breath
  • sleep problems
  • trouble concentrating
  • vomiting
  • weight loss

Signs and symptoms of kidney disease are often nonspecific which means that they can also be caused by other illnesses. See your doctor immediately if have persistent or worrying symptoms so that you can be assessed properly.

How to diagnose CKD?

CKD is typically diagnosed through a combination of blood tests and urine tests.

  • Blood test – measures the level of waste products (creatinine) in your blood. High levels may indicate a kidney problem. The result is also used by the doctor to compute your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) along with other factors such as your age and gender. Your eGFR measures how well your kidneys are working to clean your blood and determines the stage of your CKD.
  • Urine test – is used to check the presence of protein (albumin) and blood in the urine. The presence of these substances may indicate kidney damage.

If CKD is suspected, your doctor may also recommend imaging tests such as an ultrasound, MRI or CT scan, or a biopsy to assess the extent of kidney damage.

Because CKD does not always cause symptoms in its early stages, it is recommended that you get tested regularly, to know whether your kidneys are healthy. This is especially important if you have hypertension, diabetes, and other risk factors mentioned above.

How is CKD treated?

CKD is not curable, but it can be treated to control the symptoms, minimize complications, and keep your kidneys working well for as long as possible.

Your treatment options depend on the severity of your condition and may include the following:

  • lifestyle changes
  • medicines to control underlying causes (i.e., hypertension or diabetes) and associated conditions (i.e., kidney stones)
  • dialysis
  • kidney transplant

Dialysis and kidney transplant are usually necessary for advanced cases of CKD. Regular visits to the doctor are also recommended in order to monitor your condition.

How to prevent chronic kidney disease?

You can reduce your risk of developing CKD by following these tips:

  • Maintain healthy blood pressure.
  • Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
  • Follow a healthy diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins, and healthy fats.
  • Drink an adequate amount of water.
  • Be active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
  • Do not smoke.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Take all your medications as prescribed by your doctor.
  • Have annual physical check-ups especially if you have (or have a family history of) hypertension, diabetes, or kidney failure.
Wellness has been a significant part of the service that Trinity provides to its Employee Benefits clients. To know more about our healthcare plans, please visit:
https://trinity-insures.com/collections/employee-benefits/products/hmo

References:

  • https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/what-is-chronic-kidney-disease
  • https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15096-kidney-disease-chronic-kidney-disease
  • https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/basics.html
  • https://www.kidney.org/news/newsroom/fsindex
  • https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease
  • https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-disease/
  • https://nkti.gov.ph/index.php/patients-and-visitors/kidney-health-plus
  • https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/prevention