What is Kidney Failure?

Kidney Failure (renal failure) is when one or both of your kidneys no longer work. Sometimes, it happens fast (acute), and other times, it's a problem that gets worse slowly over time (chronic).

It's the most serious stage of chronic kidney disease and can be dangerous if not treated. Without treatment, someone with Kidney Failure might only live for a few days or weeks.

What Are the Causes of Kidney Failure?

Kidney failure happens when the kidneys stop working properly and can’t filter waste from the body. There are many reasons behind this, including:

• Diabetes: If sugar levels stay high for a long time, it can slowly damage the kidneys. That’s why diabetes is one of the biggest causes of kidney failure.
• High Blood Pressure: When blood pressure is too high, it can harm the blood vessels in the kidneys, making them weak over time.
• Glomerulonephritis: This is a type of swelling in the kidneys that damages their filtering system, making it harder for them to work.
• Polycystic Kidney Disease: In this condition, fluid-filled cysts form inside the kidneys, which can create problems for a kidney failure patient.
• Family History: If anyone in your close family has had kidney problems, your chances of developing them are also higher.

Catching kidney issues early and taking proper treatment can help in controlling the damage and improving the life of a kidney failure patient.

How many stages are there in Kidney Failure?

There are 5 stages of Kidney Failure:

• Stage 1: with normal or high estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) ( i.e., GFR > 90 ML/min)
• Stage 2: Mild Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) (GFR = 60-89 ML/min)
• Stage 3A: This means they are Moderately damaged; that is, the Glomerular Filtration Rate is 45-59 ML/min
• Stage 3B: Moderate Chronic Kidney Disease (GFR = 30-44 ML/min)
• Stage 4: Severe CKD (GFR = 15-29 ML/min)
• Stage 5: End Stage CKD (GFR 15 ML/min)

Types of Kidney Failure

Kidney Failure is mainly divided into two types. They are :

• Acute Kidney Failure
• Chronic Kidney Failure

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)

• Acute Kidney Injury, also called Renal Failure, means sudden or unexpected failure of kidney function that grows within 7 days.
• AKI occurs when reduced kidney blood flow threatens kidney tissue. Different causes can cause AKI, such as prerenal, intrinsic, and postrenal. For this kind of AKI, individuals need hemodialysis.
• The reason must be recognized and treated to stop the progression. Above all, dialysis might be important to connect the time gap required for treating these key causes.
• Individuals who have encountered AKI may have a high danger of severe kidney infection later on. The executives comprise treatment of the fundamental reason and steady consideration, such as renal substitution treatment.

Causes of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)

• Acute Kidney Failure occurs suddenly when there's a sudden disruption in blood supply to the kidneys or when the kidneys get overwhelmed with toxins.
• Reasons for this sudden kidney problem include accidents, injuries, or complications from surgeries.
• During this, the kidneys don't get normal blood flow for a long time, like during bypass surgery.

Drug Overdoses

Accidental overdoses of certain medications, like painkillers, antibiotics, or chemotherapy drugs, can also lead to acute kidney damage.

Recovery

• Fortunately, the kidneys can often recover from acute kidney damage, allowing a person to return to normal life.
• However, individuals with AKI need ongoing treatment until their kidneys recover fully and are often at risk of future kidney problems.

Chronic Kidney Failure (CKF)

• Chronic Kidney Failure (CKF) is when your kidneys don't work right for a long time, causing a gradual loss of kidney function.
• At first, you might not feel any symptoms. But later on, you might notice things like swelling in your legs, feeling tired a lot, throwing up, not feeling hungry, or feeling confused.
• If CKF gets worse, it can lead to other health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, weak bones, or anemia.

Causes of Chronic Kidney Failure

• Reasons for Chronic Kidney Failure include having diabetes, high blood pressure, glomerulonephritis, or polycystic kidney disease.
• Risk factors for CKF include having family members with the same problem.

What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Failure?

Kidney failure happens when the kidneys stop working properly and can’t filter waste and extra fluids from the body. It can develop slowly or suddenly, and catching it early makes a big difference. Below are some first symptoms of kidney failure that you should look out for:

Common Kidney Failure Symptoms

• Nausea and Vomiting: Feeling uneasy in the stomach and frequent vomiting.
• Loss of Appetite: Not feeling like eating, which may lead to weight loss.
• Fatigue and Weakness: Constant tiredness and lack of energy.
• Sleep Problems: Finding it hard to sleep or waking up frequently.
• Changes in Urination: Either passing too much or too little urine.
• Decreased Mental Sharpness: Trouble focusing or confusion.
• Muscle Twitches and Cramps: Sudden muscle movements or painful cramps.
• Swelling in Feet and Ankles: Puffiness due to water retention.
• Persistent Itching: Skin irritation because of toxin buildup.
• Chest Pain: If fluid collects around the heart’s lining.
• Shortness of Breath: If fluid accumulates in the lungs.
• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Difficult-to-control BP levels.

Kidney Failure Symptoms in Men and Women

Though kidney failure symptoms in men and symptoms of kidney failure in females are mostly similar, women may experience hormonal changes, while men might face issues like reduced sexual drive or erectile dysfunction.

If you notice any of these kidney failure symptoms, don’t ignore them. It’s always best to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Early detection and proper care can help slow down the disease and improve health.

How to Diagnose Kidney Failure?

If you have any kidney failure symptoms, it’s very important to get tested on time. Doctors use different tests to check how well your kidneys are working. Here’s how kidney failure is diagnosed:

Blood Tests

Doctors check for certain waste products in the blood:

• Creatinine Test: High levels mean the kidneys are not filtering properly.
• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Test: Increased BUN levels suggest kidney problems.
• Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR): This test shows how well the kidneys are working. If GFR is below 60, it could mean kidney disease, and below 15 suggests kidney failure.

Urine Tests

• Urinalysis: Checks if there is protein, blood, or any unusual substances in the urine.
• Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (ACR): If there is too much protein in the urine, it may be an early sign of kidney damage.

Imaging Tests

• Ultrasound: Helps doctors see the size and shape of the kidneys.
• CT Scan or MRI: Used to check for any blockages, tumors, or other kidney issues.

Kidney Biopsy

A small piece of kidney tissue is taken and checked under a microscope to find out the cause of kidney problems.

Treatment options for Kidney Failure

If you are suffering from the last stage of kidney disease, you must choose between Dialysis and a Kidney Transplant. There are several types of Dialysis, and for more information, you should consult your doctor for the best treatment for kidney failure..

Hemodialysis

This is one type of treatment procedure, also called "Hemo" In this process, a machine cleans blood. It can be done at the Dialysis center or even at home.

Peritoneal Dialysis

Peritoneal Dialysis is performed when the kidneys are not functioning properly. In this process, a purifying liquid moves through a pipe into part of the abdomen.

From there, it filters unwanted items from your blood. After a specific time, the liquid with unwanted waste items moves out of the abdomen and is disposed of.

Kidney Transplant

A kidney Transplant means replacing your unhealthy kidney with a healthy Kidney. For this, a healthy kidney must be available from any Living Donor or the deceased donor.

After replacing the failed kidney with a healthy kidney, then a new kidney starts its function just as your old healthy kidney does.

Frequently Asked Questions