Kidney Failure Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments

Kidney failure, also called end-stage renal disease, is the last stage of chronic kidney disease. When your kidneys fail, it means they have stopped working well enough for you to survive without dialysis or a kidney transplant.

• What causes kidney failure?
• Symptoms of chronic kidney disease
• Treatment of kidney failure
• New to dialysis
• Adjusting to kidney failure
• Complications of kidney failure
• Disaster preparedness
• Kidney failure

What causes kidney failure?

In most cases, kidney failure is caused by other health problems that have done permanent damage (harm) to your kidneys little by little, over time.

When your kidneys are damaged, they may not work as well as they should. If the damage to your kidneys continues to get worse and your kidneys are less and less able to do their job, you have chronic kidney disease. Kidney failure is the last (most severe) stage of chronic kidney disease. This is why kidney failure is also called end-stage renal disease, or ESRD for short.

Diabetes is the most common cause of ESRD. High blood pressure is the second most common cause of ESRD. Other problems that can cause kidney failure include:

• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and IgA nephropathy
• Genetic diseases (diseases you are born with), such as polycystic kidney disease
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Urinary tract problems

Sometimes the kidneys can stop working very suddenly (within two days). This type of kidney failure is called acute kidney injury or acute renal failure. Common causes of acute renal failure include:

• Heart attack
• Illegal drug use and drug abuse
• Not enough blood flowing to the kidneys
• Urinary tract problems

This type of kidney failure is not always permanent. Your kidneys may go back to normal or almost normal with treatment and if you do not have other serious health problems.

Having one of the health problems that can lead to kidney failure does not mean that you will definitely have kidney failure. Living a healthy lifestyle and working with your doctor to control these health problems can help your kidneys work for as long as possible.

Symptoms of chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) usually gets worse slowly, and symptoms may not appear until your kidneys are badly damaged. In the late stages of CKD, as you are nearing kidney failure (ESRD), you may notice symptoms that are caused by waste and extra fluid building up in your body.

You may notice one or more of the following symptoms if your kidneys are beginning to fail:

• Itching
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Not feeling hungry
• Swelling in your feet and ankles
• Too much urine (pee) or not enough urine
• Trouble catching your breath
• Trouble sleeping

If your kidneys stop working suddenly (acute kidney failure), you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal (belly) pain
• Back pain
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Nosebleeds
• Rash
• Vomiting

Having one or more of any of the symptoms above may be a sign of serious kidney problems. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor right away.

Treatment of kidney failure

If you have kidney failure (end-stage renal disease or ESRD), you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to live. There is no cure for ESRD, but many people live long lives while on dialysis or after having a kidney transplant.

There are just a few options for treating kidney failure, including kidney transplant and several types of dialysis. Your doctor can help you figure out which treatment is best for you. Consult AMRI Hospitals, Best Nephrology Hospital in Kolkata

Amri Hospitals Gearing up to Battle Unseasonal Swine-Flu

Swine flu or the H1N1 virus in Kolkata is unusual at this time of the year. However, sporadic cases often happen across various states. The city has already recorded a number of H1N1 cases this year, since the first patient died from the virus in the last week of January

This year, five deaths have already been reported across Kolkata. Although the situation is not too grim, more than 25 patients have been admitted in different hospitals for H1N1. According to the medics at AMRI Hospitals, the reported cases are more than the usual around this time.

The virus cannot be taken lightly, as it can prove to be fatal. A number of hospitals in the city have reported a sudden increase in swine flu cases over the past month. Many doctors and paramedical stuff working in intensive care units are also getting affected by the virus, due to their frequent exposure to patients suffering from swine flu. As per the medical practitioners at AMRI, the hospital is equipped with H1N1 vaccine to fight against the disease.

“Without effective vaccines, it is very difficult to check an outbreak. At AMRI, medics have already geared up to treat patients in the best possible way,” said a health practitioner at AMRI, which is one of the best hospitals in Kolkata.

The condition of a patient deteriorates very quickly after catching the H1N1 virus and precautions like wearing a mask and keeping a distance of 5-6 feet are some of the precautions on should follow to prevent fro getting affected. A patient should be isolated after being diagnosed with H1N1.

For general public, doctors at AMRI have suggested to wash their hands more often, avoid touching nose, eyes and mouth to prevent the virus.

The deadly air-borne infection mostly spreads at crowded places like schools, colleges, public transport, shopping malls, workplace, etc. Medics at AMRI suggest drinking plenty of liquids and ensuring adequate amount of sleep to help the immune system fight against the infection.

SOURCE: doctorsclinicblog.com

5 Types Of Cancer Prominent In Women

Lifestyle, family, eating habits, surroundings – everything contributes to cancer possibilities in a person. Sometimes, late detection can be cured with substantial radiation and yet, sometimes early detection cannot be controlled. AMRI Hospital, a Kolkata-based hospital chain, suggests 5 types of cancer that have a higher possibility of manifestation in women than men:

Breast Cancer :

According to the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR), one out of every two women, newly diagnosed with breast cancer, dies in India. Generally, family history is one of the premier causes of breast cancer. If a person’s siblings, mother or daughter have the disease, the chances of suffering from the condition increase. There are a few factors that need to be considered in case of any suspicion about breast cancer:-

• Genetic Mutation of BRCA1 and BRCA2
• Menopause after 55 or menstrual periods before the age of 11
• No pregnancies or late first pregnancy (after the age of 30)
• Radiation treatment of chest for another cancer

Medical studies have advanced to a level where controlling breast cancer is highly possible. However, there are some precautions to reduce the overall chances of the disease:

• Estrogen fuels breast cancer cells and it has been observed that loss of weight, especially if you are not aligned with BMI helps to fight the disease
• Avoid eating red meat. It is still under speculation but it’s better to be safe than sorry
• Quit drinking alcoholic beverages. Or at least minimize it to one drink per day.

Lung Cancer :

It is a pre-conceived notion that only regular smokers suffer from Lung Cancer. However, this is a false assumption. An oncology expert at the best hospital in Kolkata, AMRI Hospital, said “It is true that long-term smokers are more susceptible to Lung Cancer, but that’s not the usual case with women. In more than half of the cases we have come across, the patient does not have a smoking habit.” Some of the factors responsible for lung cancer are:

• Passive Smoking
• Air pollution
• Exposure to toxic gases
• Heredity

Statistics reveal that Lung Cancer is responsible for one of the highest number of deaths. A few precautionary measures that can be employed to fight against this deadly disease are:

• Avoid passive smoking. Meet your friends later or just excuse yourself from the environment.
• Pollution masks are readily available with pharmacists. If your city’s air is in the red zone of air pollution, make sure you wear the mask, especially while traveling.
• Studies have revealed that reduced alcohol consumption decreases the risk of having lung cancer.
• Exercise regularly and improve your diet. Physical activity helps to recover your body from the exposure to smoke, and diet maintains the smooth the functioning of the systems.

Thyroid Cancer :

Although the chances of developing thyroid cancer are reasonably low, there are not many ways to prevent it either. Since potential tumors revealed via scans can be treated in early stages, it is pivotal to analyze the risk factors and focus on their control:

• Usually, this cancer develops in the 40s and 50s
• Family history
• RET gene mutation

There are no such control measures for thyroid cancer, but some precautionary steps can be taken:

• Avoid radiation exposure
• Reduce the iodine content in your diet
• If there are any cases in family history, have regular check-ups for early diagnosis

Uterine/Endometrial Cancer :

Female reproductive organs are more prone to endometrial cancer. As the name suggests, it is cancer in the uterus lining. Similar to breast cancer, high estrogen feeds the cancer cells in this case. Never being pregnant, overweight and birth control pills are some of the premier causes of increased risk. Other factors include:

• Around the age of 60
• Diabetes
• Family History

Nutritionists at AMRI Hospital, Kolkata suggest, “Diet control is the best way to prevent uterine cancer. Since fat cells secrete estrogen, the level of the hormone increases and make a person more prone to the condition.”

Colon Cancer :

Women around the age of 70 are more susceptible to colon cancer. The abnormal cancer cells take almost 15 years to grow, so regular check-ups are an easy way for early diagnosis. Colonoscopy, blood tests or Cologuard (DNA stool test) are the best ways to diagnose colon cancer. Oncologist in Kolkata experts advises taking diets rich in calcium and fiber as precautionary measures.