Chronic kidney disease or CKD is the decreased function of the function of the kidney for a minimum of three months or more. In this the end stage renal disease usually refers to the end of the kidney function where the kidneys work for less than 15% of what they are supposed to. The kidneys play a vital role in the human body and if they do not function properly then a person can die. The functioning of many organs depends on the kidneys. However, the main function of the kidneys is to remove the products and regulate blood and water, control blood pressure, promote healthy and strong bones, and produce hormones.

Here are 5 facts about kidney disease you should know about:

1. Causes of the kidney disease: There are two main common causes of the end-stage kidney disease. These are preventable causes. These are diabetes and high blood pressure, but then kidney disease can be caused by other inherited diseases such as infection, trauma or polycystic kidney disease.

2. Serious Stages: The kidney disease has five stages and stage 5 is known as the end stage renal disease; this is the point where patients usually need dialysis or kidney transplant to lead a sane life. The stages of kidney disease are:

Stage 1   Slight kidney disease
Stage 2   Mild decrease in kidney function
Stage 3   Moderate decrease in kidney function
Stage 4   Severe decrease in kidney function
Stage 5   End stage renal disease

3. Detection of the disease: Kidney disease is usually difficult to detect because of the presence of very few symptoms. Age, gender along with the blood test is one way to determine information regarding kidney function. The people who are at a risk of getting kidney disease are:

    Over the age of 55 years
    People who suffer from hypertension and diabetes
    Ethnic groups such as Asians, Africans, Americans, Pacific Islanders and Hispanics

4. Signs and Symptoms: CKD is usually considered to be a silent disease and many people don t know that they are suffering from the disease. The signs and symptoms of the disease are:

    Fatigue and weakness
    Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
    Dizziness
    Numbness and headaches in hand and feet
    Frequent urination

5. Renal Replacement Treatment: This is the treatment for the end stage of the kidney disease. Dialysis involves the replacement of some part of the lost function of the kidneys and is usually continued throughout life. There are 2 types of dialysis:

    Hemodialysis: This cleans the blood via an artificial kidney which is hooked to the machine
    Peritoneal Dialysis: This removes the excess water and waste products and cleans the blood of the body by using the peritoneal cavity as a filter. 

5 Facts About Kidney Disease You Should Know

Every organ is important for the human body to perform its functions normally. Kidneys too are vital and are responsible for removing the excess fluid and toxins from the body. If the kidney is not functioning properly, then the patient is advised to undergo dialysis treatment. In some cases, the patient is advised to undergo a transplant. However, in any case, the patient has to follow a healthy diet, for the treatment and the medicines to work positively.

Suitable diet during dialysis
Most of the patients are not aware of the diet prescribed for dialysis. Though it is always advised to consult a dietician before following any diet for the condition, it is also advisable to gain some knowledge about what the dietician might suggest, so that one is not clueless about the treatment. In a majority of the cases, food containing potassium, phosphorus, low-fat cholesterol, and sodium is included in the diet of these patients. However, these are prescribed in a limited amount and vary from patient to patient.

Sodium: The sodium level of the dialysis patients needs to be controlled; and this can be done by eating food items that have a low sodium content, not more than 2,000 mg. Hence, the quantity of snacks, pudding, and chips are to be reduced in the diet chart.
Potassium: The level of potassium also needs to be kept in check to avoid further deterioration of the kidney. Bread, certain vegetables, and grains contain a high amount of potassium. Moreover, various salt substitutes contain potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. Large intake of these foods may affect the kidney permanently. Hence, these are majorly excluded from the diet. The patients are advised to include tomatoes and bananas in their diet, though not on a daily basis.
Phosphorus: The patient is advised to avoid foods with high phosphorus. This includes milk and dairy products and grains. However, while on dialysis, meat is important as it gives enough protein despite being high on phosphorus. But, an abundance of meat in the diet may affect adversely. Hence, this is advised, but kept in control.
Cholesterol: To keep cholesterol amount in check during dialysis, the patient needs to cut down on fruits and vegetables and specific fat diets, while eating a sufficient amount of fish.
Protein: High protein food is necessary for a patient with a kidney disease. Meat is an excellent source of protein. Along with that, poultry, fish, and eggs are important, as well. Hence, all this is included in the diet.
Fluids: Dialysis helps in removing the excessive waste fluids from the kidney. But, to keep the body hydrated, the patient is allowed liquid intake, but only up to a certain limit.
It is necessary to maintain a proper diet during dialysis, as it quickens the treatment as well as helps the patient recover quickly.

Undergoing Dialysis - What Should Be Your Diet?

One single kidney in place of two is a scenario which is often termed as solitary kidney.

Who has a solitary kidney?

Their body functions normally and are generally not unhealthy. This is also known as renal agenesis.
In some cases, people are born with two kidneys with just one of them healthy and fully functional. The other one does not function fully or partially. This condition is known as kidney dysplasia.
A person who had to undergo a kidney removal surgery (nephrectomy); such a surgery is conducted when a person has an infected kidney or diseased, malfunctioning/cancerous growths on the kidney.
A person who has donated a kidney to someone who required kidney transplantation.
What potential health risks does a person with a solitary kidney have?

Normally, a person born with a single kidney does not have any such potential health risks. They are generally healthy and lead normal lives.
Later in life, there may or may not be slight loss or degradation in the functioning of the kidney.
The life span of a person with a single kidney is normal. There is no apparent effect on the mortality rates.
What kind of special diet must a person with a single kidney follow?

There is no need of any such special diet for a person with a single kidney.
Normal healthy balanced diet with all the essential nutrients should suffice.
You must be careful about your animal protein intake and calcium supplements.
Drink sufficient quantity of water to remain hydrated all day and prevent the urine from turning acidic.
Controlled consumption of alcohol and caffeine is a must. It is also important to reduce the consumption of aerated drinks.
Exercises and Physical activities for a person with a single kidney:

A person with a solitary kidney can function like any other normal individual.
You may also participate in sports. However, you must take enough precaution to prevent injuries to your kidney. Proper padding and protection around your lower abdominal region and back is of utmost necessity.
You can hit the gym, run a marathon and nothing is impossible for you.

Living With Solitary Kidney - Things You Need to Know!

Severe disorders in one or more kidneys can be debilitating since the quality of life is severely affected. If you suffer from such a condition, you may already be undergoing dialysis. But, have you considered kidney transplant yet? 

Here is a look at some benefits of kidney transplant over dialysis.

1.Increased life expectancy

You may not know this, but dialysis restricts your life expectancy. For instance, a person undergoing dialysis at 30 will have a life expectancy of 15 more years. However, with a transplant, you can go on to lead a full life. The same 30-year old person will have a life expectancy of 30 additional years in case of a transplant from a brain-dead donor. If the donor is a healthy individual, life expectancy may extend to 40 years as well.
Therefore, if you want to live longer, you need to seek a kidney transplant.
2. Enhanced quality of life
Not only does severe kidney disorder mean relying on dialysis, but it also imposes other major restrictions in regards to diet and lifestyle. However, the kidney transplant is a more permanent solution to the problem. Once the transplant is completed and you recover from the surgery, you can resume a normal life. Additionally, some of the dietary restrictions are also lifted in such a case. 

Why dialysis is more common?
Dialysis is more common for the following reasons-
    The kidney to be transplanted may not be readily available. You would be placed on a list and it may take a while for a suitable kidney to arrive. During this period, you would need to undergo dialysis.
    Since dialysis is a minimally invasive procedure, it is often preferred by patients. However, kidney transplantation is better in the long-term.



Why Should You Opt For Kidney Transplant Instead Of Dialysis?

Potassium is an essential mineral which is known as an electrolyte. Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining the ionic balance of your body. Other electrolytes are sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, chloride. These electrolytes bear an electric charge which manages the electrical activity of your health system. Potassium also helps the muscles of the body to function properly. In fact, it has its contribution in regulating blood pressure; a crucial role for a healthy heart.

Potassium deficiency is a kind of medical condition which is known as hypokalemia. The normal level of potassium in the human body should be in between 3.5-5.0 mmol/L. But the deficiency in potassium can cause severe problems including muscle weakness, nerve disorders, heart problems, etc. Kidney is the organ which is known to manage the potassium balance by removing the extra potassium through urine.

Causes of potassium deficiency:

Lack of potassium in diet
Dehydration
Diarrhoea
Too much sweating
Several medicines also cause potassium deficiency

Signs of potassium deficiency:

You are getting wiped out too often: Like it is discussed before that potassium is responsible for your muscles to work actively. Each and every cell needs the required amount of potassium to work effectively. So, a little deficiency of potassium can leave you exhausted throughout the day. If your normal working routine leaves you exhausted and if you are sweating too often, then there is a chance that you are suffering from hypokalemia.
High blood pressure: Potassium plays an important role in maintaining the blood pressure by helping in relaxing the blood vessels. Low potassium can cause the blood vessels to get constricted, due to which your blood pressure increases.
Muscle weakness: Potassium plays a significant role in building the strength of your muscles. Lack of potassium can easily cause muscle weakness, aches and spasms.
Irregular heartbeat: Anything regarding your heart problem can scare you badly; especially when you experience sudden skipped heart rate or when your heart rate doubles. Low potassium can cause such palpitations and skipped heartbeat.
Feeling dizzy: Lack of potassium in your body can slow down your heart rate and make you feel dizzy or you may feel that you are going to faint. Though many other medical conditions can be responsible for such symptoms but hypokalemia is one of them.
Constipation: Potassium deficiency can affect your overall health. You might encounter symptoms like bloating, abdominal cramping etc.
Numbness and tingling: Potassium is significant in keeping your nerves healthy. Potassium deficiency can make you experience numbness, needle sensations on your feet, wrist, etc.
These are the signs that people encounter when they suffer from hypokalemia. Hypokalemia can make you feel extremely sick and it causes several diseases which are discussed above. It is always advisable to visit a doctor when you encounter any of these above mentioned symptoms.

Potassium Deficiency - 7 Signs You Are Suffering From It!

A kidney transplant is a procedure that employs an operation to transplant properly functioning kidney in the body. The main job of the kidneys is to remove the excess waste from a person s body with the help of a filtration process. When the kidneys stop filtering the toxins properly, they become diseased as harmful waste products and toxins begin to accumulate in the body. Following this, the patient has to go through treatment measures like dialysis or kidney transplant.

Read on to know the five things you should keep in mind about a kidney transplant.

Treatment: Transplant is one of the best ways to treat chronic kidney disease stage-V, until unless it is contraindicated. Life becomes near normal after transplant, though there is a possibility of rejection of transplant kidney. Patient has to take immunosuppressive medication life long. 
Medication: Medications are mainly for:
To prevent rejection: Patient takes immunosuppressive medications life long. 
Prevention of infection: Patient has to take care all the measures to prevent infections as they are more prone to infections. 
Other medication: To control diabetes, HTN etc. 
Family Only: The donors are from family or emotionally related or cadavers (after brain death). HLA-matched donors are better because of less chances of rejections and first reduction of immunosuppressive. 
Doing Your Part: Once transplant is done - patient becomes normal and he/she lives a normal life. However, they have to take regular medications and to protect themselves from various infection. 
End Stage Renal Diseases: These diseases includes diabetes mellitus, HTN, polycystic kidney disease, chronic glomerulonephritis or interstitial nephritis etc.
Consult your Nephrologist before going for renal transplant for detailed check up or line of action.

Kidney Transplant - 5 Things About it !

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