The human body has two kidneys. Each kidney is composed of about 1million nephrons. The nephrons are units, which are mainly composed of blood vessels. It is through these vessels that toxin excretion and filtration occurs and water is let Read more about What are the kidneys and what is their function?[…]
A nephrologist is a doctor who has been trained in the diagnosis and management of kidney disease. The nephrologist manages kidney disease by regulating blood pressure, regulating electrolytes, balancing fluids in the body, and administering dialysis. Nephrologists treat many different Read more about What is a nephrologist?[…]
When the kidneys are not working properly, we call it kidney failure. Kidney failure results in a lot of salt and fluid in the body and higher blood pressure. Edema or swelling of limbs also occurs. There is also excess Read more about What is kidney failure?[…]
The primary causes of kidney failure are diabetes, hypertension, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, lupus, illicit drugs (i.e. cocaine), medications (i.e. diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics), low blood volume, dehydration, urinary obstruction (kidney stones), prostate disease, urethral narrowing, among others
Yes. Long standing hypertension deteriorates the small vessels of the kidneys. As a result, there is no proper handling of the salt and fluids, causing their accumulation and more hypertension. As the small vessels of the kidney progressively harden, the Read more about Can high blood pressure cause kidney disease?[…]
Yes. The kidneys produce the hormone erythropoietin. Low levels of this hormone (which may happen when the kidneys fail) generally result in anemia (low production of red cells).
Dialysis is the process of filtering the accumulated waste products from the blood of a patient whose kidneys are not functioning properly, using a dialysis machine. Dialysis treatments replace some of the kidney’s functions through waste removal and fluid removal. Read more about What is dialysis?[…]
The two main types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis removes wastes and water by circulating blood outside the body through an external filter, called a dialyzer, that contains a semipermeable membrane. Hemodialyis is usually conducted in an outpatient Read more about What are the different types of dialysis?[…]