Kidneys fail what to do. The main symptoms of kidney failure, causes, features of treatment and consequences

When you hear that someone has kidney failure, it becomes uneasy and even scary, because the kidneys perform many different and very important functions in our body. It is not only urine excretion and blood purification from waste products of metabolism, but also the balance of trace elements, in particular potassium and sodium, and the production of hormones that regulate the production of red blood cells,blood pressure, etc.

So what happens in the body when kidney failure, what processes can lead to this and what to do to prevent this from happening. The doctor-urologist of the Municipal Clinical Hospital "Sfint Treime" will tell about all this and many other things. Bob Victor Georgievich.

Viktor Georgievich, when it comes to the fact that kidneys fail?

The expression “kidney failure” is rather colloquial, but it is more correct to say that in such cases it is a question of renal failure.

But before talking about it, I would like to say just a few words about how the kidneys work and about their important functions. First of all, of course, the kidneys are classified as excretory organs, but there are so many different processes in them, and they perform so many complex functions that it is impossible to tell everything in one article. I would just like to clarify that since the flow of blood to the kidneys and the formation of urine, that is, the outflow of their contents, filtration processes, reabsorption, secretion, etc., take place at different levels of nephrons, and all this happens continuously, including internal environment of our body - homerstaz.

Various renal dysfunction at one level or another can be called “kidney failure” or renal failure, which can be either acute or chronic. In the first case, the disease develops suddenly and quickly, in the second, it develops with a slowly progressive kidney disease.

In this case, we can talk about the absence of urine - anuria, a decrease in the amount of urine - oligoanuria (acute renal failure - acute renal failure) or changes in the quality indicators of urine (chronic renal failure - CRF).

Please explain in more detail what these states mean?

Acute renal failure, as I mentioned above, develops suddenly, within a few hours or days. Disturbance in the work of the kidneys in this case occurs against the background of a disorder of water, electrolyte and acid-base balance, which has happened for one reason or another, most often as a result of the action of toxic or ischemic factors. First of all, these are shock states of any genesis (origin), which lead to necrosis of the epithelium of various parts of the tubular system of the kidney.

Fortunately, in most cases, such violations are a reversible process, if, of course, the patient turned to a doctor in time, and help was provided in a timely manner and at the proper level.

Chronic renal failure develops over a long time and, more often, against the background of other diseases due to which there are abnormalities in the kidneys, caused, in particular, by a decrease in the number of normally functioning nephrons. The nephron is a structural and functional unit of the kidney, the renal body, including the tubule system. A person in one kidney has about a million nephrons associated with blood vessels.

So, when these nephrons for one reason or another stop working, and the signs of disruption in their work, it should be noted, do not appear immediately, as a healthy renal tissue tries to compensate for the work damaged, it is a question of CRF. But it is clear that such compensation cannot lead to anything good, because it turns out that this healthy tissue works with an additional load and wears out faster, and, accordingly, it itself breaks down, gradually the kidneys are destroyed and gradually, as they are destroyed, self-poisoning of the body with products of its own vital activity.

What causes these conditions to occur, what are their causes?

The causes of renal failure, in general, doctors are divided into several groups:

• - arena;
• - prerenalnye;
• - renal;
• - postrenalnye.

An arena reason is involved when a kidney injury occurs with the crush of its tissue, the removal of a single kidney, that is, the complete absence of kidneys.

Prerenal causes include abundant blood loss, severe dehydration, excessive use of diuretic drugs, severe intoxication, cardiac arrest, etc.

Renal causes include the presence of diseases that cause the pathology of small blood vessels, glomeruli, tubules, interstitial kidney tissue (that is, the tissue that lines the kidneys).

And, finally, the postrenal causes of renal failure are indicated when this condition develops due to disturbances in the outflow of urine in the areas below the kidneys. Often this happens in older men suffering from an enlarged prostate gland, which prevents the flow of urine. Or another example: the stone blocked the ureter, and the outflow of urine was disturbed, doctors call this condition hydronephrosis. But if treatment is not carried out, then renal failure may well arise.

If we talk about acute renal failure, then we can say that more often it occurs after complex surgical interventions or injuries, as a result of which the blood vessels leading to the kidneys are blocked, because of which the normal cleansing of the body, its detoxification does not occur.

Chronic renal failure may develop from the initial to the terminal stage. And, as mentioned above, all this happens against the background of kidney and urinary tract diseases, as well as diseases leading to impaired renal function. These diseases include:

• - glomerulonephritis and glomerulosclerosis;
• - vascular diseases: renal artery stenosis, nephrosclerosis, arterial hypertension, intractable to conservative treatment, diabetes;
• - chronic pyelonephritis;
• - systemic cologenic diseases - scleroderma, disseminated lupus;
• - congenital anomalies - hypoplasia, polycystic kidney disease, neuromuscular uleplasia;
• - various obstructive diseases of the upper urinary tract;
• - chronic heavy metal poisoning - cadmium, lead.

Viktor Georgievich, please name the symptoms of renal failure.

I'll start with the symptoms of acute renal failure. Its initial stage usually coincides with the causes. This may be a shock situation, sepsis, poisoning, etc., that leads to a sharp decrease in blood pressure, a decrease in the amount of urine, and later to anuria.

The next stage, the main one, is oligoanuric, when the urine becomes low, up to 200-300 ml per day, it is of low density. In the urine sediment are observed blood impurities with significant proteinuria. Swelling is noticeable, especially on the face and on the lower legs - on the ankles, in particular. Due to the accumulation of fluid in the body, body weight may increase, of course, not by 20 kg, but still. This increases urea, creatinine, as a result of all this, manifest clinical manifestations such as malaise, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting due to the fact that the blood is not cleaned properly, and intoxication makes itself felt.

If you do not provide assistance in time, then shortness of breath will appear - due to accumulation of fluid in the lungs, drowsiness will develop - due to lack of oxygen, consciousness will become confused. Later, hematomas may appear on the body and even bleeding may occur, convulsions may occur, loss of consciousness may occur and, eventually, a person will fall into a coma. Fortunately, this happens very, very rarely, as patients still go to the doctor when they observe the initial symptoms.

Then there is the diuretic stage, which begins on the 10-14 day, characterized by a gradual increase in the amount of urine, up to 2-4 liters or more per day, despite the fact that the concentration ability of the kidneys is still reduced.

And finally, the stage of recovery, which can be delayed for months, and even years, depending on the complications that have arisen, especially from the side of the liver.

If we talk about the symptoms of chronic renal failure, it also develops from the initial stage. It, unfortunately, is difficult to diagnose due to the fact that the latent period of chronic kidney disease is poor in subjective and objective symptoms. Only in in-depth studies can you find a decrease in glomerular filtration of the kidneys, in a detailed analysis of urine and in a biochemical analysis of blood - an increase in urea and creatinine.

Based on the available data, it is possible to determine whether the disease has passed into the next stage of CRF, terminal, which, in turn, has three stages of clinical manifestations leading to changes in all organs and systems of the body.

In general, it can be said that at different stages of CRF and symptoms differ. In particular, they may be as follows:

polyuria - excessive urine formation;

frequent night trips to the toilet, during which very little urine is excreted;

deterioration of health, shortness of breath, swelling, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting;

unpleasant ammoniacal smell from the mouth, bleeding gums;

skin changes - pallor with a slight yellow or brown tint, sometimes the appearance of hematomas and the occurrence of bleeding, as well as the appearance on the skin of small white urea crystals, the so-called “uremic frost”.

Well, and if not treated, it will all end, as is the case with acute renal failure - convulsions, loss of consciousness and uremic coma.

What happens to the patient if the kidneys eventually refuse to work completely?

In principle, above, when I talked about the symptoms, at the end of their enumeration, we came to the conclusion that what will happen to a person in the end. The most formidable is uremic coma and death. But before such an outcome, doctors, both nephrologists and urologists, try not to bring matters, if, of course, the patient turns for help in time.

It can be added that in case of acute renal failure, necrosis of the cortical substance of the kidney may occur due to a long-term impaired renal circulation. Often in the recovery period, due to stagnation of blood in the lungs, there are edemas, it happens that an infectious process develops in the kidneys - pyelonephritis.

The chronic form is fraught with its, probably, even more serious consequences. Due to the fact that toxins accumulate in the body, the central nervous system suffers: a tremor appears, further convulsive states and even mental function disorders.

On the part of the gastrointestinal tract there is a loss of weight, even before anorexia, sometimes there are gastrointestinal bleeding.

On the part of the cardiovascular system, as I said above, there is a worsening of arterial hypertension and its consequences. Often it is chronic renal failure that provokes heart attacks and strokes. Remember that the cardiovascular system is in the same bundle with the brain, heart and kidneys.

Due to the fact that the production of certain hormones depends on the work of the kidneys, because of changes in the kidneys, there are disorders in those organs where these hormones are especially important. In women, for example, menstruation stops, fertility decreases sharply. And because of the decrease in the formation of erythropoietin (one of the hormones of the kidneys) anemia develops. The consequences of blood disorders are changes in the immune and phagocytic functions of leukocytes - the risk of infection increases, etc. etc.

But in general, a person should understand that a kidney can be lost in both acute and chronic renal failure, unless, of course, the necessary measures are taken in time.

What diagnostic and laboratory procedures are usually prescribed by a doctor in order to confirm the diagnosis or, on the contrary, to refute?

The doctor will prescribe all procedures depending on the patient's condition. First of all, it will be a blood and urine test, and, in particular, the doctor will ask about the level of urea and creatinine. This is actually a common component in muscle tissue, but its amount should not exceed the norm. If the kidneys work normally, then creatinine is maintained at the proper level, if deviations appear in their work, then its level, as a rule, increases, and, I will note, even before the alarming symptoms appear.

Viktor Georgievich, how are kidney failure treated today?

In the case of acute renal failure, fortunately, with the help of drug treatment, the main functions can be restored. Sometimes hemodialysis is necessary - artificial blood purification, which can be gradually discarded as the renal functions are restored.

If there is a chronic disease affecting the function of the kidneys, then it is necessary, first of all, to treat it, both in acute and in chronic renal failure. With hypertension, you must constantly take medications prescribed by a doctor, regardless of whether there is high blood pressure at the moment or not. They must be taken for life. As in the case of diabetes, constant monitoring of the level of sugar in the blood is necessary, and the administration of drugs to regulate it.

Well, if kidney failure is so serious that there is not enough residual kidney function and is approaching 10%, medicine can offer two options: hemodialysis and transplantation.

Hemodialysis requires connecting to the device at least 3 times a week. By the way, there is another type of dialysis - peritoneal, when a tube is inserted into the abdominal cavity of a patient through which fluid is introduced and metabolic products are output through the surface of the peritoneum.

Another treatment for many patients with renal insufficiency is kidney transplantation. Unfortunately, the number of people in need of transplantation, far exceeds the number of organs that are available. Waiting for corpse organs, a huge number of patients remain on dialysis for many years. True, a live donor transplant is developing. Here, the advantage is that the operation can be performed with a not very long waiting time, and sometimes the operation can be done even before the patient needs dialysis. It can also be noted that organ transplantation from a living donor has a more favorable prognosis. By the way, we have a transplant agency in Moldova, which also deals with kidney transplantation from live donors and donors who died as a result of brain death.

On the other hand, I can add that although hemodialysis and transplantation is a great achievement of doctors and medical science in general, but unfortunately, this is still an extension of life with a significant deterioration in its quality, compared to what it gave us life is God, with how unique and holistic he created our body, including the kidneys with all their functions. Let's not forget that hemodialysis, firstly, requires a lot of restrictions from patients and, secondly, sooner or later leads to insufficient functions of all organs and body systems. And, by the way, in the end it may happen that a kidney transplant will not help or prove to be inexpedient.

As for kidney transplantation, this is also not a panacea, since a patient with a transplanted kidney needs constant use of medications, in particular, immunosuppressants, because the rejection reaction can manifest itself at any time.

Of course, let's not think about sad things. After all, modern medicine is developing and the quality of life of patients, both on hemodialysis and undergoing a transplant, is constantly improving. But in conclusion, I would like to say this: fortunately, our kidneys have a considerable reserve of functions. Sometimes those patients who have lost more than half of the functions of the kidney, even up to 80%, can do without dialysis, but, despite their remarkable feature, we should not ignore existing or even emerging problems. It is better to consult a doctor and make sure that everything is in order, or to prevent possible negative consequences, take measures in time if they prove necessary.

Thank you for the interview!

Kidney failure is a very serious phenomenon that, without proper treatment, inevitably leads to the death of a person. As a result (the pathology in medicine is called this way), the functioning of the nephrons stops, the urine stops being produced. Because of this, many toxins from decomposition products and toxins accumulate in the body, gradually destroying all organs and tissues in the body. Kidneys can refuse both in adults, old people, and in children.

Acute renal failure has a positive prognosis in contrast to its chronic form. To a greater extent elderly people suffer from pathology. When kidneys fail, the disease is divided into three forms:

1. Prerenal. The most common form is caused by insufficient blood flow to both urinary organs. As a consequence, toxins accumulate due to reduced filtering function.
2. Renal. It is characterized by a lesion of the kidney parenchyma.
3. Postrenal Manifests a barrier to the passage of fluid excreted by the kidneys.

Causes of prerenal pathology are rooted in problems with the release of blood from the heart. This is shock, arrhythmia, thrombus in the pulmonary artery and so on. A state can arise as a result of burns, persistent diarrhea or vomiting, peritonitis, and other phenomena when extracellular fluid leaves the body. Kidney failure is also formed when sepsis is formed or due to an anaphylactic reaction.

When renal renal failure occurs, acute types of disease are considered development factors. These include vasculitis, vascular thrombosis of the urinary organ and others.

If you do not diagnose the connection with the pathology of the heart, it can turn into renal

On the occasion when the kidneys failed and were diagnosed with postrenal acute insufficiency, the cause of the phenomenon is the overlapping of the movement of urine along the urinary pathways. Factors are sulfonamide crystals, if taken. When a patient is treated with antidepressants, it is possible to earn urate stones.

In general, the reasons for the failure of the kidneys because of the overlap of the outflow of urine are divided into functional and mechanical. The first include neuropathy, long reception of ganglioblokatorov, acute pathology of the brain, bearing the child.

Mechanical factors include tumor processes, reduction of the ureter, the effects of surgery (ligation of the ureters). In representatives of a strong half of the population, inflammation or enlargement of the prostate gland can cause pathology. If the barrier to the passage of urine is successfully eliminated, kidney failure and the symptoms that tormented the patient pass away without a trace.

Addressing the cause of obstruction causes complete recovery of renal filtration without any consequences of kidney failure.

Toxins are pests of the kidneys

If an organ is poisoned with toxins, its deficiency may develop. On hemodialysis, every fifth patient suffers from nephrotoxins. In modern medicine, there are many cases of the disease of the urinary organs from substances hazardous to them. These are quinine, aminoglycoside antibacterial drugs, fluorinated pain medications and others.

Intoxication of the body, which is expressed by renal insufficiency, occurs also by products of its own production. These are hemoglobin and myoglobin exiting from blood and muscle cells. The phenomenon is associated with splitting muscle tissue due to injury, or nephrological disease with seizures.

If the kidneys have failed in a child or an adult, the cause is also sought in the action of external toxins. These include alcohol, drugs, phosphorus, a heavy metal salt, as well as chlorine and bromine derivatives, acetylsalicylic acid, sedatives, and others. More recently, it was found out the harmful effects on the urinary system of statins and other drugs, with which they lower cholesterol in the blood.

What manifestations should guard?

Symptoms of kidney failure mainly depend on the form of manifestation.

Acute pathology

The signs of the disease are accompanied by 4 stages of progression. In the first phase, the lesion of the organ itself (shock) occurs. After comes the degree of oligoanuria, but only in 30% of patients. At the same time, the danger causes edema of the lungs and liver, intestinal bleeding due to damage to the mucous membrane, changes in the components of the electrolyte.

The third phase is polyuria. Develops 1-3 weeks after the formation of the disease. Possible dehydration with hypokalemia. Glomerular filtration increases, but the effect of the antidiuretic hormone remains low. The fourth phase of recovery is long. Reaches the year. The protein is reduced, the nitrogenous substances in the blood return to normal.

Signs of kidney failure in patients with the acute form of the disease are expressed by the addition of kilograms due to edema of the lower limbs and face, nausea, vomiting, itching of the epidermis, and even severe abdominal pain, general malaise. If the situation is aggravated, the patient notices the causeless appearance of bruises on the body, feels sleepy, and has shortness of breath.

Important!   It is necessary to understand how dangerous the disease is, and at its first manifestations seek medical help from a doctor.

Chronic type of pathology

The disease of a chronic nature is caused by the gradual loss of the organ's working capacity, but this process is irreversible. Manifestations depend on the death of nephrons and the ability of the body to compensate for their functions with other parts of the kidneys. As a result of disease progression, other body systems are affected. Slags accumulate, there is a failure in metabolic processes. Parenchyma will be replaced by connective tissue, which provokes the development of nephrosclerosis.

If the kidneys fail, the cause should be sought in the following diseases:,. Pregnancy, allergies, urinary tract infection, hemorrhage and toxins in the body with medications can aggravate the situation.

Ways to get rid of the pathology of an acute form

With an acute attack of the disease, the prognosis depends on timely medical care, which will give a person a chance to survive. The patient should be urgently delivered to the intensive care unit and to carry out anti-shock therapy. It includes blood replenishment through plasma transfusions, protein solutions, Reopolyglukine. If necessary, furosemide (loop diuretic) is prescribed, dopamine - as a last resort.

Conservative treatment is carried out with a mild degree of acute renal failure. Why? This is quite enough to eliminate the renal failure. What to do? In case of injuries and wounds, it is necessary to remove all dead tissue, in case of hyperkalemia, to refuse products containing potassium. Increase the daily amount of fluid in comparison with diuresis, loss of vomiting, diarrhea and + 400 milliliters. Anabolic steroids actively cope with a decrease in the rate of protein breakdown. Taking antibiotics can be dangerous and can aggravate the situation. Therefore, they are prescribed with caution.

In the treatment of insufficiency at the stage of prerenal progression, it is important to eliminate the disease that provoked the pathology. An increase in fluid is prohibited when the force of contractions of the heart is lowered. If the reason lies in blocking the way for the passage of urine, the doctors carry out the operation. When an infection causes a pathology, Clafaron, Fortum is prescribed together with Metronidazole. Aminoglycosides are contraindicated. If therapy is ineffective, hemodialysis is recommended. Blood purification procedures are also helpful.

For the renatal type of renal failure, a comprehensive treatment is carried out, with the result that complete healing is possible. The combination includes antispasmodics, loop diuretics and alkaline solutions. Enhances the effect of drugs Dopamine in small doses. Therapeutic procedure is carried out again up to 12 times. Adjust the potassium will help glucose, insulin. Ion exchange resins are prescribed in rare cases.

Methods used in the treatment of chronic pathology

In the case when the kidneys have failed, and how long is left to live, the person does not know, it is necessary to consult a doctor. With such a development of events, it remains to rely only on medicine and experienced specialists. With timely treatment, people with a similar pathology live for a long time.

It is important to understand the cause of the disease and cure the concomitant disease. In case of violation of urine outflow, surgical intervention will be required. Often used antibacterial drugs with a nephrotoxic effect. In the case of glomerulonephritis, cytotoxic drugs and corticosteroids are prescribed.

What is fraught with the lack of treatment of pathology?

Wary of worth with oliguricheskim symptoms. They are able to signal the possible development of complications of the acute form of the disease: inflammation of the urinary organs, sepsis, which threatens patients with a fatal outcome. And also possible stomatitis, pneumonia, inflammation of the parotid lymph nodes.

Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract caused by erosion and caused by poor blood clotting becomes frequent. Anemia provokes a delay in the maturation of the remaining red blood cells, reduced production of erythropoietin by the kidney cells.

When a patient has lived for a long time with problems of the urinary organs, he develops chronic renal failure. Complications of pathology affect the brain centers of the head. In the case of a decrease in the protective function, the body is affected by infections. The heart and blood vessels react with arrhythmia and hypertension, sometimes complicated by stroke or heart attack. Low calcium content leads to bone fractures (for this it is important to eat calcium-containing foods and take a trace element in tablets). If anemia is complicated by bleeding in the stomach or intestines, the person may die.

Kidney failure is a dangerous pathology that often deprives people of life or leads to disability. Therefore, it is important to undergo an examination at the first alarming symptoms and follow all the doctor's instructions.

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The kidneys are vital organs.

The tasks of the kidneys include the regulation of the ratio of chemical elements in the human body, the removal of excess fluid and harmful substances.

Impaired kidney activity can lead to the development of kidney failure, and there is also a risk of a phenomenon like kidney failure.

Causes of kidney failure

There are three types of acute renal failure - prerenal and postrenal. Prerenal renal failure occurs in the presence of circulatory problems. Renal form of acute scratch insufficiency develops against the background of deterioration of the renal parenchyma. Postrenal renal failure develops due to poor patency of the urinary tract.

Kidney failure can occur as a result of severe burns, dehydration, already existing kidney diseases, due to the high level of potassium in the body.

What are the first symptoms of a renal failure?

Kidney failure may occur suddenly. It is possible to recognize violations by urine - it is almost one hundred percent water only, while decay products and other harmful substances continue to poison the body from the inside. This is due to the sharp loss of ability to filter the products of exchange.

The main symptoms are increased weakness, a sharp loss of body weight, loss of appetite, nausea.

Acute renal failure or kidney failure may occur due to neglected inflammatory diseases of the urinary system.

Sleep disturbances, severe headaches, excessive dryness in the mouth, metal taste, increased thirst, shortness of breath, swelling of the lower extremities, fatigue, confusion, reduced concentration of attention - all this may be the first. In addition, there may be signs such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, a decrease in urine output. Severe state can provoke paralysis, convulsions, coma, pulmonary edema. Therefore, you can not joke with the kidneys. Timely failure to provide medical care can be fatal.

Possible consequences

Acute renal failure may trigger the development of necrosis (tissue death) in the kidneys. As a rule, this happens due to a long-term impaired blood circulation in the kidneys. Often there are pulmonary edema, the kidneys are affected by the infection.

Kidney failure treatment

Diagnosis will help blood and urine tests. May require a biopsy of the kidney. In the case of confirmation of kidney failure, first of all, all forces are sent to eliminate the cause that caused the kidney failure. It is also necessary to carry out procedures aimed at removing toxins from the patient.

The kidneys are one of the most important organs in our body. They are responsible for the elimination of waste products from the body, as well as for maintaining the ratio of salts and water. If the activity of the kidneys is somehow disturbed, it affects the functioning of the entire human body. A complete cessation of the work of such bodies leads to death. So, the topic of our conversation today will be to consider the symptoms of kidney failure and the consequences of this phenomenon. We also specify how much a person will live in case of kidney failure.

Many physicians claim that a complete failure of the kidneys in a person is most often the result of a patient’s insufficient attention to their health. In fact, even with quite serious illnesses and after suffering injuries, the kidneys may well restore their functional characteristics. Kidney failure develops rather slowly, only occasionally such a condition arises abruptly, requiring immediate hospitalization and very fast medical reactions. Therefore, readers of Popular Health need to be especially attentive to their health and the health of their loved ones.

Symptoms of kidney failure

If the kidneys fail suddenly, which the doctors classify as acute renal failure, the patient has a sharp decrease in diuresis - urine is released in minimal quantities, this condition is called oliguria. Sometimes the urine stops altogether - it is anuria. Liquid begins to accumulate in the tissues, which is manifested by the appearance of a distinct swelling on the face, as well as in the ankles. Another accumulation of fluid leads to an increase in body weight. Since the body does not get rid of waste products, the process of intoxication begins. The patient is worried about nausea and vomiting, a decrease in appetite. There is a feeling of weakness and indisposition. The symptoms in a person also include pain in the abdomen, itching of the skin. Blood may be seen in the urine.

If a patient with a drastic failure of the kidneys does not receive medical care, shortness of breath increases, drowsiness appears, and there is confusion. The skin becomes covered with hematomas, spontaneous bleeding, muscle spasms and cramps may occur. There is a loss of consciousness, followed by a coma.

If the kidneys fail gradually, the amount of urine discharge increases at first. At the same time, there is a frequent urge to urinate at night, but at night there is little urine. The patient's condition worsens significantly, he is worried about increased swelling and shortness of breath, nausea appears, vomiting is possible. Pathological processes lead to loss of appetite, bad breath and pain in the chest, as well as in the bones. The skin becomes pale, giving a yellow or even brown tint. The gums are bleeding, there are bleeding of different localization and hematomas on the skin. With progressive disorders in the activity of the kidneys, amenorrhea develops in women, and small white urea crystals appear on the skin of patients of different sexes. You may experience cramps, muscle spasms and the development of loss of consciousness, passing into a uremic coma.

Consequences of kidney failure

In the event that the kidneys fail abruptly (acute renal failure develops), the cortical substance of the kidneys may die. Basically, this condition is a result of prolonged circulatory disorders. The consequences for the kidneys in this case are irreversible, and makes their work impossible forever (demanding transplantation of this organ).

If acute kidney failure was promptly stopped by doctors, it could still be complicated by pulmonary edema or an infection of the kidneys.

In the event that a violation occurs gradually, the consequences can be different and, often, very serious. Thus, the accumulation of uremic toxins inside the body tissues adversely affects the activity of the central nervous system, which leads to a decrease in the threshold of convulsive reactions, to the occurrence of tremor, and then convulsive states. In some cases, severe intoxication violates mental functions.

Reduced formation of erythropoietin in chronic renal failure causes anemia. Hematological disorders in turn cause disruptions in the activity of immunity, as well as the phagocytic functions of leukocytes, therefore, patients with such problems increase the probability of developing various infections by an order of magnitude.

One of the possible complications of gradual renal failure is hypertension (increase in blood pressure), which only exacerbates the course of renal failure. Quite often, chronic renal failure provokes the onset of a stroke or heart attack.

Still possible complications of this condition are fractures of different localization and renal osteodystrophy (classified as bone degeneration). Such effects in humans are due to impaired calcium absorption.

How many patients with kidney failure?

If a person's kidney failure has gone abruptly, then the duration of life depends on how effective the therapy will be. If the treatment does not help and the patient falls into a coma, then death can occur very quickly - in a matter of hours or days.

If we are talking about a chronic form of the violation, the patient is shown hemodialysis or kidney transplantation.

With systematic hemodialysis, life expectancy can reach ten years or more. The lethal outcome of such a violation is mainly due to the accession of infections, due to a heart attack, stroke, etc. There are cases where people have lived after dialing failure on the dialysis for twenty years or more.
With a donor kidney transplant, the prognosis for the patient’s life is favorable.

• Signs of the development of the disease
• Chronic disease
• Duration and quality of life

Throughout the life of the kidney, being a powerful filter, they constantly deal with infections, microbes, elements of toxic origin that enter the body. For 24 hours, they let through a lot of blood, cleaning it. After filtration by the kidneys, it is freed from slags and becomes again suitable for saturating each cell of the body. If suddenly one kidney stops performing its functions, its load completely falls on the second. But sometimes paired kidney failure happens. In this case, doctors imply the occurrence of renal failure, and patients are concerned about what to do next and what is the chance to survive.

Signs of the development of the disease

The kidneys perform very important functions: internal (increcretory), which consists in blood formation, maintaining blood pressure at the proper level, and external (excretory), the basis of which is urine production.

Renal failure is characterized by dysregulation of the regulation of homeostasis of the physicochemical plan, in which urine ceases to form and stand out. The process does not develop immediately and suddenly, but the consequences are irreversible. You should listen to your body, identify the first symptoms of kidney failure, and immediately contact your doctor.

Signs of kidney failure are as follows:

• anuria (urine stops excreting), oliguria (decrease in urine output);
• vomiting, nausea, general weakness;
• the appearance of blood in the urine;
• soreness in the abdominal region.

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Chronic disease

The chronic form, when the kidneys have failed, is characterized by:

• polyuria (frequent urination);
• swelling;
• vomiting, loss of appetite;
• bleeding gums;
• muscle cramps, cramps;
• the appearance of uremic frost (urea crystals) on the skin.

To prevent the disease, its causes are always easier, so do not even ignore the slight indisposition.

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Duration and quality of life

The main task of modern nephrology is the preservation of human life.

Most cases of kidney failure are preceded by illnesses that the patient has acquired earlier. This is diabetes, and heart attack, and diseases of the heart, blood vessels, etc. It is not easy to answer the question of how much is left to live. Often a person dies not because of kidney failure, although against this background, but from exacerbations of other diseases.

Experts say with confidence that a person can lead quite a quality life even after kidney failure. Symptomatic treatment is carried out to save a person’s life. It is based on the process of artificial blood purification. For more than a quarter of a century, artificial kidney (hemodialysis) devices have been operating in medical centers in our country. With their help, those who have lost their kidneys can live for about 5 years, as it was before the launch of the equipment, and several times longer. But if you do not resort to using artificial blood purification, a person dies in a few days. Accurate information on life expectancy statistics does not.

Approximate data are such that patients with renal replacement therapy live for more than 5 years, hemodialysis can prolong life by 23 years. The conservative method of recovery in case of kidney failure for the given period is impossible, but here there is a way out - a transplant that allows you to live well for more than 20 years.

About 40 people die a year without proper treatment.

It is expensive and time consuming. It is difficult to find a donor organ, sometimes it has to wait for years. Therefore, given the complexity of restoring health and prolonging life after kidney failure, it is necessary to take preventive measures and notice alarming symptoms in time.