Understanding the timelines of kidney failure and related treatments, Health News, ET HealthWorld

By Dr Sujit Chatterjee

With the increasing number of chronic disease patients, it is becoming more and more important for people to lead a healthy life. Kidney diseases are among the leading causes of disability, morbidity and mortality in India, owing to the global burden of disease.

ESRD (End-stage Renal Disorder) affects one in ten people. End-stage renal disease is the final and permanent stage of chronic kidney disease in which kidney function has regressed to the point where the kidneys can no longer function on their own. Dialysis or kidney transplantation is necessary for patients with end-stage renal disease.

Kidney transplantation is the only cure for the majority of patients; therefore, it becomes vital to take the best possible care of your health. Here is a list of tips to help you better understand the kidney transplant process. As kidney failure progresses, patients may experience a wide range of symptoms. Fatigue, drowsiness, decreased urination or inability to urinate, dry skin, itchy skin, headache, weight loss, nausea, bone pain and easy bruising are some of the symptoms.

The disease can be diagnosed through blood tests, urine tests, kidney ultrasound, kidney biopsy, and CT scan. Along with understanding the timelines for kidney transplants, it is also essential to be aware of serious kidney diseases. It is essential to know about serious kidney diseases and their treatments in order to improve one’s quality of life. Ignoring warnings and symptoms can put a person in a life-threatening situation.

Kidney function
The kidney is an extremely important part of the body as it eliminates all kinds of wastes and extra bodily fluids. Healthy kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute, extracting waste and excess water to produce urine. Urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through two thin muscular tubes called ureters, one on each side of your bladder. Urine is stored in your bladder. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters and bladder.

What happens during kidney failure?
The kidneys play a vital role in the elimination of waste in the body. They pump 45 gallons of blood to remove waste that has been mixed with the blood. This process is very important for the normal functioning of the body.

When the kidneys stop working, the waste products are not carried away. Waste begins to build up in the body and raises blood pressure to dangerously high levels, leading to kidney failure.

Options available
Kidney transplants are performed under the supervision of renowned nephrologists and all necessary precautions are taken. When you have kidney failure, your nephrologists will recommend one of two treatments:

Kidney transplant: A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from a donor. The kidney can come from a living or deceased donor. One of the kidneys of only family members or a cadaver kidney can be donated. A living transplant is the name given to this type of transplant. Kidney donors can live a healthy life with a functioning kidney. It is a life-saving intervention in case of kidney failure.

Dialysis: Dialysis is another process in which blood is filtered using a machine. It is needed when your kidneys can no longer meet your body’s needs. Toxins are artificially flushed out of the body and the machine performs kidney functions precisely.

Kidney Transplant – The Preferred and Best Solution
A kidney transplant is always a better option as it guarantees a better quality of life and eliminates the need for monthly treatments. This type of treatment has fewer dietary restrictions and you feel more energetic than with other treatments. In addition, the risks of impairments due to health problems are lower in the case of a kidney transplant.

By Dr Sujit Chatterjee, CEO, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital

(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely those of the author and ETHealthworld does not necessarily endorse them. ETHealthworld.com shall not be liable for any damage caused to any person/organization directly or indirectly.)

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