What is Chronic Kidney Disease?

Chronic Kidney Disease (also known as Chronic Renal Failure) is the progressive loss of kidney function occurring over a span of several months to several years and is characterised by the replacement of kidney architecture with interstitial fibrosis.

Chronic kidney disease is classified into five stages on the basis or proteinuria (presence of protein in large amounts in the urine) or Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) - 1 being the mildest with no distinct symptoms and 5 being end stage renal failure.

Causes and Risk Factors of Chronic Kidney Disease-

The various reasons (called risk factors) that can increase chances of Chronic Kidney Diseases are:

Diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia (excess fat proteins in the blood)
Hypertension

Family history heritable renal disease

Older age, smoking

Autoimmune disease

Past episodes of acute renal disease

The direct causes of Chronic Kidney Diseases are-

Diabetic nephropathy (leading cause)

Hypertensive nephropathy

Glomerulonephritis (swelling of the glomerulus in the kidneys)

Reno-vascular disease (ischemic nephropathy)

Polycystic kidney disease

HIV-associated nephropathy

Transplant allograft failure

Exposure to drugs and toxins

Diet that you must maintain in Chronic Kidney Disease-

It is essential to make dietary as well as lifestyle amends once you are diagnosed with CKD. The main purpose of this diet is to maintain the levels of carbohydrates, fluids and minerals. This is done to prevent the buildup of waste products in the body as the kidneys are unable to fulfil its function properly.

It is recommended to refer a dietician who can make you a diet chart that helps you adhere to your diet.

Here is a list of food items that you may avoid or may consume if you are suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease:

Carbohydrates : Carbohydrates are a good source of energy. If the intake of protein has been restricted, then it is recommended to replace that with carbohydrates as a source of energy. Fruits, vegetables, grains and bread can be consumed as they are rich source of fibres, minerals and various types of vitamins. You can indulge in some hard candies or sweets as well.

Fats: Fats can provide a good amount of calories as well. Ensure that you only stick to healthy fats such as the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are good for your cardiac health. 

Reduce your phosphorus intake: A diet with no more than 800 mg of phosphorus can help reduce the risk of too much phosphorus building up in your blood.  Limit intake of foods with high levels of phosphate or phosphate additives such as organ meats, whole grain breads, processed foods, cola beverages, cheese, dried beans, liver, peanut butter, dairy products and chocolate. Many beverages and processed foods have these additives. Other high-phosphorus foods to limit include: 

Cheese
Chocolate
Ice cream
Legumes
Milk
Nuts
Seeds
Yogurt
Monitor your potassium levels: Usually, potassium is not restricted in stage 3 CKD unless lab tests show potassium is too high. Your doctor may make medication changes or prescribe a low-potassium diet. Reduce an elevated potassium level by limiting some high-potassium foods and potassium chloride (found in salt substitute and many low-sodium processed foods), such as avocado, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, legumes, milk, nuts, potatoes, seeds, tomato products and yogurt. Some high-potassium foods to limit or avoid include: 
Avocado
Bananas
Cantaloupe and honeydew melon
Dried fruit
Legumes
Milk
Nuts and seeds
Oranges and orange juice
Potatoes
Pumpkin and winter squash
Tomato products (juices, sauces, paste)
Yogurt
Proteins: Usually, before undergoing dialysis, it is recommended to adhere to a low-protein intake diet. However when you are undergoing dialysis, it is necessary to consume a certain amount of protein. This detailed information can be obtained from your dietician.
Fluids: In the early stages of CKD, your fluid intake is not monitored. But as the disease progresses, you need to check your intake of fluids as too much fluids may accumulate in your body and create pressure on your kidneys.

Sodium Or Salt Intake: Keeping a check on your salt intake reduces the risks of high blood pressure. Also, having food low on salt can reduce your thirst and prevent fluid retention in your body.

Diet In Chronic Kidney Disease

An overactive bladder is marked by problems with one s bladder storage system that results in sudden urge to urinate. Involuntary and leakage of urine is also a possibility in such a case.

The problem of an overactive bladder arises when the muscles of the bladder contract involuntarily. The conditions contributing to overactive bladder are:
1. Excessive production of urine due to diabetes, poor kidney function or excessive fluid intake
2. Medications that increase urine production by the bladder
3. Acute infections in the urinary tract
4. Abnormalities in the bladder, for instance, bladder stones or tumors
5. Factors hindering bladder outflow such as constipation, enlarged prostate or earlier treatments for incontinence (loss of bladder control)
6. Excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine
7. Decline in one s cognitive abilities due to factors such as ageing, thus making it hard for the bladder to comprehend the signals it gets from the brain
8. Incomplete emptying of the bladder, leaving only a little storage space for the urine
9. Constipation
10. Neurological disorders

How it can be treated?

Behavioral interventions help to manage overactive bladder effectively and without side-effects. They include-
Exercises to strengthen one s urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles
Maintaining a healthy weight
Regulating fluid consumption
Planning a schedule for trips to the toilet
Employing a catheter to empty the bladder entirely
Medications to alleviate the symptoms of incontinence and overactive bladder are-
Fesoterodine
Mirabegron
Darifenacin
Solifenacin
Trospium
Oxybutynin gel
Oxybutynin as a skin patch
Tolterodine
Injecting small doses of Botox (Botulinum toxin), protein-bacteria, directly into the bladder tissues to partially paralyze the bladder muscles, thus delaying urination.
Surgery to magnify bladder capacity
However, it is a must that you seek the guidance of a urologist on immediate basis. 

Overactive Bladder - Can Infection in Urinary Tract Lead To it?

The general perception that hereditary diseases cannot be prevented is changing. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one such hereditary condition. The kidneys are the body's detox machine, which remove all impurities and flush it out of the system through urine. PKD is a condition where there are multiple, fluid-filled cysts which develop in the kidneys. These can vary in size and though noncancerous, can grow to a very large extent, producing severe symptoms including extremely high blood pressures and kidney failure.

In the recent past, however, there have been various theories that put forth how a modified and healthy lifestyle can prevent PKD. A child with a parent who suffers from PKD has 50% likelihood to develop the same. That cannot be prevented; however, changes can be made which can delay the onset and reduce the severity of symptoms of PKD, most notably high blood pressure and kidney failure which may require lifelong dialysis.

Symptoms and complications: The most common symptoms include high blood pressure, kidney pain (behind the back above the buttocks), infections of the kidneys or the bladder, bloody urine, kidney failure, headache, bloated abdomen due to the fluid-filled cysts, frequent urination, and kidney stones. There could be impact on pregnancy plans, with high blood pressure complicating the pregnancy. This needs extra care in management and is not life-threatening in most cases.

Prevention: The kidneys take the brunt of all the toxins that a body is subjected to. It is therefore, very important to reduce the exposure of body, especially kidneys to toxins. One of the best ways to keep the kidneys in good health is to control blood pressure. Some of the ways to do this include:

    Following a low-sodium diet with a good amount of hydration
    Reduce fat in the diet as much as possible
    Include a lot of berries, broccoli and apples
    Be diligent in taking your blood pressure medications as directed
    Ensure that your weight is within the prescribed limits for you
    Quit smoking and drinking
    At least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity should be included in your daily regimen

Read up on symptoms of PKD and keep an eye on them. If you are having a bloated feeling or pain in the kidneys or blood in the urine, consult a doctor. If you are planning on having a baby, genetic counseling may be useful to see if there is a risk of passing on the genes to the baby. Keep a positive outlook and have a frank discussion with family and friends on your overall condition. So, as much as PKD is a hereditary disease, there are ways to manage it and improve the quality of life.

Is Polycystic Kidney Disease Preventable?

A bladder infection is a bacterial infection within the bladder. Some people call a bladder infection a urinary tract infection (UTI). This refers to a bacterial infection anywhere in the urinary tract, such as the bladder, kidneys, ureters, or the urethra. While most cases of bladder infection occur suddenly (acute), others may recur over the long term (chronic). Early treatment is key to preventing the spread of the infection.

What causes Bladder Infection?
Bacteria that enter through the urethra and travel into the bladder cause bladder infections. Normally, the body removes the bacteria by flushing them out during urination. Men have added protection with the prostate gland, which secretes protective hormones as a safeguard against bacteria. Still, sometimes bacteria can attach to the walls of the bladder and multiply quickly. This overwhelms the body s ability to destroy them, resulting in a bladder infection.
Bacteria that enter through the urethra and travel into the bladder cause bladder infections. Normally, the body removes the bacteria by flushing them out during urination. Men have added protection with the prostate gland, which secretes protective hormones as a safeguard against bacteria. Still, sometimes bacteria can attach to the walls of the bladder and multiply quickly.

Other factors can increase the risk of bladder infections for both men and women. These include:

Advanced age
Insufficient fluid intake
Surgical procedure within the urinary tract
A urinary catheter
Urinary obstruction, which is a blockage in the bladder or urethra
Urinary tract abnormality, which is caused by birth defects or injuries
Urinary retention, which means difficulty emptying the bladder
Narrowed urethra
Bowel incontinence
Pregnancy
Diabetes
Symptoms for Bladder Infections

Cloudy or bloody urine
Urinating more often than usual
Foul-smelling urine
Pain or burning when urinating
A frequent sensation of having to urinate, which is called urgency
Cramping or pressure in the lower abdomen or lower back
Bladder infections can also cause back pain. This pain is associated with pain in the kidneys. Unlike muscular back pain, you might experience pain on both sides of your back or the middle of your back. Such symptoms mean the bladder infection has likely spread to the kidneys. A kidney infection can also cause a low fever.

Bladder Infections - Decoding one of the Most Common Gynae Problem in Women

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 !

What you should know about urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is the inability to hold urine in the bladder because of loss of control of the bladder. The severity may range from temporary to chronic, depending on the cause of this disease. Urinary incontinence is more common in women than men and can be categorized into three types.

Types and symptoms of urinary incontinence

Stress incontinence: this incontinence may occur while participating in any physical activity such as a sudden cough, laugh, sneezing or exercising. The stress here refers to the sudden physical pressure that a person experiences, leading him/her to urinate involuntarily.

Urge incontinence: a sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder causes an urgency to urinate. This urgency can be formed by a sudden change in position or sex.

Overflow incontinence: this is more common in men with prostate gland problems, damaged bladder or blocked urethra. The person has an urge to urinate frequently but in small amounts.

Causes of urinary incontinence

There are a number of causes of urinary incontinence ranging from aging to cancer and physical damage to the neurological disorder.

1. Aging: with age, the bladder muscle weakens and the chances of incontinence increases.

Damage: since the pelvic muscles support the bladder any damage to it (surgery or any procedure to remove the uterus) can lead to urinary incontinence.

2. Enlarged prostate: enlargement of the prostate gland in older men may give rise to this condition.

Cancer: urinary incontinence may be associated with untreated prostate cancer, which is a side effect of treatments for it.

3. Menopause: estrogen is a hormone that keeps the lining of bladder and urethra healthy. After menopause the production of estrogen is decreased, increasing the chances of urinary incontinence.

4. Prevention: urinary incontinence is not preventable but some steps can be taken to reduce the risk of it. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding smoking, practicing pelvic floor exercises, avoiding caffeine and acidic foods and eating more fiber to prevent constipation can help decreasing the risk of it.


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Related Tip: Common Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections Every Woman Should Know

What Makes One Lose Control of the Urinary Bladder?

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