Take Care of Your Kidneys

A few years ago, the hospital laboratories introduced a new investigation to check the kidney function. It was called the eGFR. Once this came into picture, many people were recorded as having ‘chronic kidney disease’ or CKD.

Chronic kidney disease can be clearly defined through an eGFR which determines if there is a presence of protein in the urine which has leaked out of the kidneys. eGFR of 60 is considered as normal, while below 15 is stage 5 CKD. A reading of 15- 29 is stage 4 CKD and 30-59 is stage 3. If you have stage 5 CKD, the eGFR levels drop to 15, it is considered as a case of dialysis or a kidney transplant. Falling of eGFR on a gradual stage is normal as the kidneys age according to the age of our bodies.

Kidney disease – Risk factors:

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common and the biggest factors of kidney disease. However, other conditions affect either just the kidneys - among them glomerulonephritis or adult polycystic kidney disease.

Kidney disease:

If one does not have Type 1 and type 2 diabetes, then controlling one’s blood pressure is the most important factor for preventing kidney disease. Two groups of blood pressure controlling drugs can be taken to control the blood pressure. These are called the ACE inhibitors. 

Diabetes and your kidneys:

If you have a history of diabetes (Type 1 or type 2), get your glucose level in urine be checked at least once a year. It is often observed that high sugar levels act as poison for your kidneys. High sugar levels pose more problems to the body than just kidney disease. Eyesight problems and nerve damage are the most important diseases after the kidney disease; this can cause pain in the legs or foot ulcers.

A very important step to control the above is following a strict and a healthy diet. Also, taking proper medication for controlling the blood sugar levels in the body. 

Kidney Failure:

Kidneys act as a filter to filter out all the toxins in the body. If the body does not filter proper toxins from the body, the toxins remain inside our body increasing the risk of many diseases. Thus, dialysis or extreme kidney transplant is the solution for a kidney failure.

Both the treatments have its own pros and cons.

There are different types of dialysis, called haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis is always done in your home but there are two different types.

Haemodialysis can be done either by you in your home, or by travelling regularly to a dialysis unit (centre-based haemodialysis).

Having a kidney replacement removes the need for dialysis but involves taking regular medicines to stop your body rejecting your kidney.