Symptoms and treatment of kidney failure. Renal failure symptoms Cardiorenal failure symptoms

Kidney failure is a progressive disease that gradually leads to tissue death. When the process is chronic, the functionality of all organs and systems is disrupted.

What are the symptoms of kidney failure?

Clinical picture

Kidney failure affects both men and women, proceeding in their bodies in approximately the same way.

Starting with an exacerbation phase, the process quickly becomes chronic, which is characterized by a high concentration of urea and creatinine in the blood. They are nitrogenous breakdown products of proteins. Gradually, the kidneys fail, and the body tries to remove these substances through the delicate mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs, which are simply not adapted to such loads. As a result, uremia appears, poisoning all cells.

In renal insufficiency, an aversion to meat develops, the patient constantly suffers from thirst, nausea and vomiting. There are muscle cramps, aches and pain in the bones. The skin on the face becomes icteric, the breath is accompanied by an ammonia smell.

The amount of urine excreted is significantly reduced or urination stops completely. The patient drinks diuretics, but they do not help much, his swelling does not go away. A decrease in renal function is accompanied by a violation of the production of biologically active substances in the filtering organ. At the same time, the metabolism of glucose, calcium and phosphorus is hampered, the performance of the sex glands is deteriorating.

acute form

Acute renal failure (ARF) in men and women is usually asymptomatic and manifests itself suddenly. When a person learns about the disease, kidney damage is often irreversible. This results in urinary retention. In men, this condition in most cases becomes one of the manifestations of prostate adenoma. However, this symptom can also signal the presence of kidney stones or bladder tumors. In this case, men experience arching pains in the lower abdomen, and the urge to go to the toilet becomes strong and frequent. If back pain and fever are added, pyelonephritis most likely developed.

Acute renal failure is an indication for urgent hospitalization. The patient needs serious treatment. In this case, the methods of therapy are determined by the causes of impaired renal function. The modern approach involves conservative treatment, which uses drugs to eliminate symptoms.

The reasons

The following causes of acute renal failure are distinguished:

Violation of the hemodynamics of the kidneys.
Infectious diseases.
Pathology of the urinary system.
Trauma and surgery on the kidneys.

The prerenal form of acute renal failure causes difficulty in blood circulation as a result of blood loss and congestion. Treatment involves drugs to normalize the heart rhythm, droppers with saline solutions to restore plasma levels, medicines to improve blood microcirculation.

The renal form of acute renal failure appears due to pathologies of small blood vessels or medication. Acute renal failure syndrome develops as a result of poisoning with household toxins and bites from poisonous snakes. Treatment is also conservative. For glomerulonephritis and immune disorders, cytostatic drugs and glucocorticosteroids are prescribed, and for infections, antibiotics. Signs of intoxication are removed by plasmapheresis.

The postrenal form of the disease occurs due to difficulty in the outflow of urine. This is common in older men with an enlarged prostate. Surgery is often required to remove an obstruction that interferes with the normal flow of urine. Otherwise, even diuretics will not be effective.

Characteristic features

When acute renal failure is formed, symptoms may not appear for a long time. The main symptom of acute renal failure syndrome is a decrease in urine output (oliguria), up to a complete cessation of urination (anuria). The patient's health is rapidly deteriorating, the following symptoms are observed:

nausea with vomiting;
diarrhea;
loss of appetite;
swelling of the hands and feet;
lethargy;
excited state;
enlarged liver.

Symptoms may vary depending on the stage of the disease. In total, 4 stages of the disease are distinguished.

With acute renal failure of the first degree, poisoning occurs with nausea, which is accompanied by intestinal pain. The patient becomes pale, feels weak and unwell.

Acute renal failure of the II degree is characterized by oliguria or anuria. The patient's condition worsens significantly, urea and other products of protein metabolism begin to accumulate rapidly in his blood. Self-intoxication starts in the body, a person suffers from edema, diarrhea, hypertension, tachycardia. He quickly loses strength, constantly wants to sleep, becomes inhibited.

Acute kidney failure III degree is marked by the beginning of recovery. The formation of urine increases and the concentration function of the kidneys is restored. The performance of the paired organ is restored.

Stage IV of the acute renal failure syndrome is the recovery phase. All indicators of renal activity are normalized. However, full recovery can take up to a year.

Chronic form

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a steady deterioration in the functioning of the kidneys, due to the death of tissue, which is replaced by connective tissue. The body shrinks and completely loses its performance. CKD affects up to 500 people out of every million men and women, and the number of cases is growing every year.

Reasons for the appearance

Chronic renal failure develops due to various pathologies with concomitant damage to the glomeruli, among them:

chronic kidney disease;
metabolic disorders;
congenital anomalies of the kidneys;
rheumatic diseases;
vascular diseases;
pathologies leading to difficulty in the outflow of urine.

Often, CRF syndrome appears against the background of chronic pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis, diabetes mellitus and gout. The hereditary factor has a significant influence on the development of the disease.

Among rheumatic diseases that provoke chronic renal failure syndrome, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma are distinguished, among vascular diseases - arterial hypertension. Often, chronic renal failure is formed as a result of nephrolithiasis, hydronephrosis and tumors, due to which the urinary tract is compressed.

Symptoms

Signs of renal failure during the transition to a chronic form become pronounced, so it is not difficult to determine the disease.

Chronic renal failure occurs in 4 stages:

Latent.
Compensated.
Intermittent.
Terminal.

Depending on the degree of the disease, the symptoms are stronger or weaker, which affects the treatment. Initially, a person has weakness, dry mouth.

In stage II, these signs are intensified. CRF syndrome with compensation is accompanied by an increase in urine output up to 2.5 liters per day, while analyzes show deviations in the chemical composition of biological fluids.

In the intermittent stage, chronic renal failure is characterized by even greater inhibition of organ function. In the blood, a consistently elevated level of nitrogenous products of protein metabolism, urea and creatinine is detected. CKD syndrome leads to severe fatigue and nausea with vomiting. The patient experiences constant thirst and dry mouth, his appetite disappears. The skin becomes flabby and dry, acquires an icteric color. At the same time, muscle tone is lost, tremor develops (involuntary vibrations of any part of the body), joints and bones begin to hurt less often.

When chronic renal failure reaches such a degree of development, there is a sharp decrease in the body's defenses. A person's condition may improve periodically, but then it gets worse again. The patient is treated with conservative methods, at this time he is still able-bodied. But with non-compliance with the diet, physical and emotional stress, the symptoms worsen. Surgical treatment may be required.

With the onset of the final stage, the general condition of people worsens. Apathy is replaced by excitation, problems with night sleep arise, inhibition of movements appears, and inadequacy of behavior. A person's appearance changes: the face becomes puffy and gray-yellow in color, the hair becomes thinner, loses its shine, scratches remain on the skin, because it constantly itches, dystrophy develops. The voice becomes hoarse, and from the mouth begins to smell like ammonia.

From the gastrointestinal tract there is bloating, diarrhea, vomiting. At the same time, the tongue is constantly lined, aphthous stomatitis is observed.

In the patient's blood during the tests, a persistently elevated concentration of urea and creatinine is found, which provokes uremia. The presence of hematuria in men may be a sign of hemophilia.

CRF syndrome at the final stage is also accompanied by encephalopathy with depression, memory failures, mood swings. The normal synthesis of hormones is disturbed, as a result of which blood clotting worsens and immunity decreases. The patient requires long-term treatment, and the sooner it is started, the more likely it is to avoid surgery.

Survey methodology

Diagnosis of acute and chronic renal failure is necessary for the doctor to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe proper treatment. The following analyzes are expected:

General and bacteriological analysis of urine.
Biochemical and general blood test.

Urinalysis can confirm the reason for the decrease in renal function. Erythrocytes indicate urolithiasis, tumors, injuries, and leukocytes indicate the presence of infection and impaired immunity.

If a decrease in renal function occurred due to infection, then during the bacteriological analysis of urine, the pathogen will be detected.

Both chronic and acute renal failure are characterized by a high level of leukocytes in the blood and a slight decrease in the content of platelets in it. A decrease in hemoglobin indicates anemia, and an acceleration of their settling indicates the presence of inflammation.

A biochemical blood test allows you to track changes in the body that caused a decrease in kidney function. In acute renal failure, high levels of magnesium and creatine, low pH are detected. With a chronic process in the blood, an increased content of cholesterol, urea, potassium and phosphorus is found. At the same time, a decrease in the concentrations of calcium and protein is recorded.

Analyzes are carried out first of all, then hardware research methods are applied:

Computed and magnetic resonance imaging.
X-ray.
Kidney biopsy.

Ultrasound, CT, and MRI are used in acute renal failure to determine the cause of the narrowing of the urinary tract, which has led to deterioration in renal function.

X-rays are used to detect pathologies of the respiratory system. A biopsy is used when other methods fail to identify the cause of the deterioration in kidney function. With the help of an ECG, arrhythmias are detected.

Symptoms of kidney failure do not appear immediately, so the disease is not always diagnosed at an early stage. . However, conservative treatment is usually applied, and surgery is required only in advanced cases.

It is customary to divide renal failure into acute and chronic.

Causes and symptoms of acute renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) develops as a result of infectious diseases, trauma, blood loss, diarrhea, toxic effects of poisons or certain drugs. The main symptoms of OPN:

reduction in the amount of urine excreted to 300-500 ml. per day;
increase in nitrogenous metabolic products in the blood (azotemia);
diarrhea;
changes in blood pressure indicators;
nausea, vomiting;
possible pulmonary edema with the appearance of severe shortness of breath and moist rales;
drowsiness, obvious lethargy;
predisposition due to reduced immunity to the development of infectious diseases - pneumonia, sepsis, stomatitis, pneumonia.

Causes and symptoms of chronic renal failure

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is an irreversible impairment of the functional activity of the kidneys resulting from necrosis of their tissue and death of nephrons. It develops against the background of kidney stones, polycystosis, chronic forms of glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis, diabetes mellitus and other pathologies that affect the kidneys.

Symptoms of HPN:

latent stage: there are no visible signs of pathology, according to the results of the tests, proteinuria can be detected, absent-mindedness, lethargy and lethargy are sometimes observed;
compressed stage: manifested by reduced urine density with a simultaneous increase in its volume, thirst, dry mucous membranes, fatigue, increased levels of urea and creatinine;
intermittent stage: the glomerular filtration rate is significantly reduced, acidosis develops (a shift in the acid-base balance of the body), azotemia, the level of creatinine increases greatly .;
terminal stage: there are signs of heart failure, increasing edema, stagnant process in internal organs and tissues, intoxication and poisoning of the body with unextracted metabolic products, infectious complications, anemia often join, a characteristic smell of ammonia from the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea.

Treatment of acute renal failure

Medical care for patients with acute renal failure consists primarily in eliminating the causes of the development of acute renal dysfunction and in symptomatic treatment: lowering blood pressure, replenishing the volume of circulating blood, removing stones, tumors, cleansing the body of toxic toxins using plasmapheresis and hemosorption (purification of blood from harmful impurities and poisons).

Diuretics are prescribed to facilitate the outflow of urine. At the same time, strict control is exercised over the liquid drunk and excreted with urine. Patients are prescribed a diet with the exclusion of protein foods and the restriction of potassium in food. Antibacterial therapy is mandatory. To prevent the development of complications of acute renal failure, hemodialysis is indicated with the organization of dynamic monitoring of the most important indicators - blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, etc.

Possible complications and consequences:

hyperkalemia (increase in the content of potassium in the blood plasma);
bradycardia - a kind of arrhythmia, a decrease in heart rate;
anemia;
decreased immunity;
development of infectious diseases, sepsis;
disorders of the nervous system: alternation of apathy and lethargy with bouts of anxiety, agitation and fear;
congestive heart failure;
gastroenterocolitis, bleeding.

Treatment of chronic renal failure

The sooner a patient with chronic renal failure seeks help, the less will be the severity of the symptoms of the disease and the risk of complications. It is very important to determine the cause of the development of chronic renal failure and do everything possible to eliminate the influence of the underlying disease on the functioning of the kidneys.

Drugs that normalize blood pressure, support cardiac activity, and antibacterial agents are used. Compliance with a protein-free high-calorie diet, with sodium restriction and a sufficient content of amino acids in food, is shown. In the terminal stage, it is advisable to carry out hemodialysis or a kidney transplant operation.

Complications of chronic renal failure:

damage to peripheral nerves;
osteoporosis, arthritis;
damage to the stomach and intestines due to a violation of the excretory function of the kidneys and the accumulation of metabolic products, with the development of ulcers, gastritis and colitis;
decreased immunity;
myocarditis, pericarditis;
arterial hypertension.

Prevention of the development of renal failure

Prevention of renal failure should consist in a thorough examination of persons with hereditary nephropathy or chronic infectious and inflammatory pathologies of the kidneys. In case of severe injuries, burns, after a toxic effect on the body, it is necessary to contact the nearest medical facility as soon as possible.

Kidney failure completely changes a person's life. This disease makes you reconsider past habits, change your diet, take a more responsible approach to your health. Much depends on the behavior of the patient. Renal failure is not a sentence at all, even in the last stages of the pathology, when hemodialysis and surgical treatment are indicated. This disease requires timely treatment. The prognosis and effectiveness of therapy depends on this. The desire of the patient himself to be cured, to live a full life, combined with well-chosen drug treatment, can overcome renal failure or make it less pronounced and life-threatening.

Video

Symptoms and treatment of kidney failure.

Kidney failure is a disease state in which the function of passing urine is difficult or completely absent.

Constant stagnation of fluid inside the urinary system leads to disturbances in osmotic pressure, acid-base balance and the accumulation of toxic nitrogenous substances in the human body.

The disease can be of two types:

Acute renal failure;
Chronic renal failure.

Let's consider both types of the disease in more detail.

Acute renal failure

With this disease, the amount of urine is sharply reduced, or reduced to zero (anuria occurs).

Acute type of renal failure occurs due to several reasons associated with impaired functioning of various organs:

Prerenal. In this case, we are talking about problems not related to . These can be severe arrhythmias, heart failure, collapse, or a decrease in blood volume after heavy blood loss.
Renal causes directly. They arise due to toxic poisoning with poisons, causing large-scale necrosis of the renal tubules, as well as chronic and, pyelonephritis and other diseases. Infectious agents play an important role in this etiological group.
Postrenal causes of renal failure are manifested in the form of blockage of the ureters in urolithiasis (usually bilateral).

It should be noted that in children of different ages the disease has a different nature.

Acute renal failure is a multi-phase disease, namely, there are 4 stages.

Stage one, the symptoms of which may be different. In all cases, there is a decrease in the amount of urine.
The second stage is characterized by a very small amount of urine or its complete absence and is therefore designated as. This stage may be final in the absence of urgent medical intervention.
At the next, third, stage, the amount of urine is restored (in addition, there are cases when the daily volume goes beyond the usual limits). Otherwise, this stage is called polyuric or recovery. So far, urine consists mainly of water and salts dissolved in it, and is not capable of removing substances toxic to the body. In the third stage of acute renal failure, the danger to the life of the patient remains.
Within 2-3 months, the excretory function of the kidneys normalizes and the person returns to his former life.

Clinical manifestations

Acute renal failure has specific and nonspecific symptoms.

Oliguria and anuria are specific.

For non-specific:

Lack of appetite;
Liquid stool;
swelling of the extremities;
Nausea and vomiting;
Lethargy or agitation of a person;
Enlargement of the liver.

Diagnostics

Clinical picture (oliguria, anuria);
Indicators of potassium, creatinine and urea in the blood;
Ultrasonic research, X-ray and radionuclide methods.

Treatment of acute renal failure

Treatment of acute renal failure is carried out in urological hospitals. Therapeutic measures are aimed primarily at the causes of the disease, ascertained through the patient's history, and also based on the patient's blood counts and clinical symptoms.

Thus, medical intervention is aimed at eliminating toxicosis, collapse, heart failure, hemolysis and dehydration of the patient.

In intensive care units, where patients often end up, either peritoneal dialysis is performed.

Chronic renal failure

In chronic renal failure, the decrease in the amount of daily urine occurs gradually. The functional tissue of the kidney is replaced by connective tissue due to long-term chronic inflammatory processes, while the kidney itself acquires a wrinkled appearance.

The reasons

Kidney disease and damage to the glomerular apparatus: and pyelonephritis.
Diseases associated with metabolic disorders: diabetes mellitus, gout.
Hereditary and congenital renal diseases associated with anatomical disorders of the conduction of the renal system.
Arterial hypertension and other vascular diseases.
Urolithiasis and other causes that prevent the free excretion of urine.

The first four places among all these reasons are occupied by:

Congenital renal anomalies;
Diabetes;
Pyelonephritis.

These reasons are the most frequent messengers of chronic renal failure.

The disease is staged. There are 4 stages:

The latent stage (chronic kidney disease 1) is the very first, hidden. Among the complaints, one can single out only increased fatigue by the end of the working day, dry mouth. In the analysis of blood in such patients, a moderate electrolyte shift and the presence of protein in the urine are detected.
The compensated stage (chronic kidney disease 2) is accompanied by the same complaints as in the previous case. In addition, there may be an increase in the volume of daily urine up to 2.5 liters (as we know, the normal daily volume of urine is 1.5-2.0 liters). Biochemical indicators change for the worse.
The intermittent stage (azotemic) is manifested by a slowdown in the functioning of the kidneys. This phenomenon is accompanied by the following symptoms:

- Elevated levels of nitrogenous compounds in the blood;

- In the urine there is a high concentration of creatinine and urea;

- general weakness, fatigue and dry mouth, loss of appetite and nausea, vomiting is possible.

The terminal stage, leading to the following symptoms: increased daytime sleepiness, emotional imbalance, lethargy, sleep disturbances at night.

Clinical manifestations of chronic renal failure

Let us consider in detail the processes that occur at each stage of the disease.

In the first stage, lower back pain, swelling and increased blood pressure can be observed. At night there is insomnia and frequent urination. Part of the glomeruli dies, while the remaining part begins to compensate for the dysfunction of the dead, exhausting itself, as a result of which the fluid ceases to be absorbed. Reduced urine density in this case is a clear symptom of the first stage.

At the next stage, the glomerular filtration rate drops, the kidneys are no longer able to compensate for the missing function. At this stage, a decrease in the level of vitamin D and an excess of parathyroid hormone can be detected.

The third stage will reveal itself by reducing the synthesis of renin, as a result of which blood pressure will be elevated. The intestines will partially take up the function of removing fluid and waste, which was inherent in the kidneys, which will entail loose stools with a specific fetid odor. Insufficient amount of erythropoietin will lead to anemia. A further decrease in the concentration of vitamin D will lead to calcium deficiency and, as a result, osteoporosis. In addition, at the late azotemic stage, lipid metabolism is disturbed: the synthesis of triglycerides and cholesterol is activated, which increase the risk of vascular complications.

Potassium deficiency leads to irregular heart rhythm. Enlargement of the salivary glands gives the face a puffy shape, the mouth smells of ammonia.

Thus, a patient with chronic renal failure looks characteristic of his diagnosis:

Puffy face;
Brittle, dull hair, gray-yellow skin color;
regurgitation, smell of ammonia from the mouth;
Abdominal bloating and diarrhea, dark in color, with a fetid odor;
Hypothermia with increasing dystrophy;
Skin itching.

The disease affects the entire body, leads to atrophy of the heart muscle, pericarditis, pulmonary edema, encephalopathy, decreased immunity with all the ensuing consequences. The densities of urine and blood become equal, as a result of which the absorption of substances is impossible.

The above changes appear in the last stages of the disease and are irreversible. The prognosis in this case is extremely sad - the death of the patient, which occurs at the 4th stage of the disease due to sepsis, uremic coma and hemodynamic disturbances.

Treatment

Timely treatment leads to the recovery of the patient. The life of patients experiencing the terminal stage of the disease depends on the hemodialysis machine. In other cases, help can be provided with medication or one-time hemodialysis procedures.

Renal failure is a serious pathology, which is characterized by a persistent violation of all kidney functions. The kidneys lose the ability to form urine and excrete it. As a result the body is poisoned harmful decay products and toxins.

The symptoms of kidney failure are quite typical, and if left untreated, the disease can lead to serious consequences.

What is kidney failure?

The kidneys are the main organ in the urinary system, which has the ability to remove metabolic products from the body, regulate the optimal balance of ions in the blood, produce hormones and biologically active substances involved in hematopoiesis. With renal failure, these opportunities are lost.

Renal failure is a syndrome of disorder of all vital functions of the kidneys.

The disease can affect anyone, regardless of gender and age. There are frequent cases of pathology in children.

In the ICD-10, renal failure covers codes N17-N19 and is subdivided into:

acute renal failure - code N17;
renal failure - code N18;
unspecified renal failure - code N19.

With renal failure, a violation of nitrogen, water, salt, acid-base metabolism occurs, as a result, all organs cannot function adequately, the human condition noticeably worsens.

Features of the classification

There are several approaches to the classification of the disease. The classical approach involves the division of renal failure into acute and chronic.

A different approach to classification in terms of reasons that caused the disease, subdivide renal failure into:

prerenal - caused by a violation of normal blood flow in the kidneys, due to which pathological changes occur in the tissues of the kidneys, and the process of urine formation is disturbed; prerenal renal failure is diagnosed in 50% of patients;
renal - caused by pathologies of the renal tissue, due to which the kidney is not able to accumulate and excrete urine; diagnosed in 40% of patients;
postrenal - caused by the formation of obstructions in the urethra and the impossibility of urine outflow; the condition is rarely diagnosed, in 5% of cases.

Classification of the disease by stages(degrees):

Stage 1 - the kidneys are affected, but GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is preserved or increased, there is no chronic renal failure;
stage 2 - the kidneys are affected with a moderate decrease in GFR; chronic insufficiency begins to develop;
stage 3 - the kidneys are affected with an average decrease in GFR; compensated renal failure develops;
stage 4 - kidney damage is combined with a pronounced decrease in GFR; decompensated insufficiency develops;
Stage 5 - severe kidney damage, terminal renal failure.

How long they live with 5 degrees of renal failure depends on the treatment and organization of replacement therapy - without it, the kidneys cannot work on their own.

In the presence of replacement therapy, a person can live for a long time, subject to concomitant nutrition, lifestyle.

Classification of renal failure by creatinine in the blood is widely used in nephrological practice. In a healthy person, the norm of creatinine concentration is 0.13 mmol / l. The concentration of creatinine in patients with renal insufficiency makes it possible to distinguish the stages of the development of the disease:

latent (creatinine values 0.14-0.71);
Azotemic (creatinine from 0.72 to 1.24);
progressive (creatinine above 1.25).

Reasons for the development of the disease

The main causes of kidney failure include:

diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2;
hypertension;
inflammatory diseases of the kidneys (, pyelonephritis);
kidneys;
the formation of obstacles along the outflow of urine (tumors, kidney stones, inflammation of the prostate gland in men);
intoxication (poisoning with poisons, pesticides);
infectious lesions of the urinary system.

There are cases of kidney failure without specific causes. The so-called unknown causes provoke the development of the disease in 20% of cases.

How the disease is expressed - characteristic signs

Symptoms of renal failure in adults (men and women) are almost identical. There is only one difference - in children with the development of renal failure almost always appears nephrotic syndrome. This is not seen in adults.

Otherwise, the symptoms are similar and depend on the phase of insufficiency (acute or chronic). AT acute phase kidney failure manifests itself:

For chronic form other signs of insufficiency are:

deterioration of the general condition (lethargy, drowsiness, lethargy, dry mouth);
increase in the daily volume of urine excreted (up to 3 liters);
development of hypothermia;
dryness of the skin, the appearance of yellowness;
development of emotional lability (sharp change from apathy to excitement);
development of uremic intoxication.

In the chronic form, the patient may feel normal for several years, but urine and blood tests will show persistent disturbances in the main indicators (protein, leukocytes, ESR, creatinine).

How to diagnose?

To make a diagnosis of "renal failure" a number of laboratory and instrumental studies are required:

- a reliable way to establish how fully the kidneys function. With the development of renal failure, the analysis reveals a change in the density of urine, the appearance of leukocytes and bacteria.
Urine culture will be useful if a violation of the kidneys is provoked by pathogenic microflora.
A general blood test in patients with renal insufficiency will show upward shifts in ESR and the number of leukocytes; hemoglobin and platelets - in the direction of decreasing.
A biochemical blood test is required if kidney failure is suspected. In the presence of pathology, according to the analysis, an increase in the content of urea, creatinine, cholesterol, and nitrogen is noted. The level of phosphorus, calcium, total protein decreases.

Instrumental studies allow you to accurately establish degree of pathological changes in the kidneys. The most reliable diagnostic methods:

Sometimes to clarify the diagnosis additional diagnostic procedures are required:

chest x-ray;
electrocardiography;
kidney tissue biopsy.

How to treat, what to do?

Treatment of renal failure should be comprehensive, the acute form is treated exclusively in a hospital setting. In a serious condition, the patient is placed in intensive care.

The tactics of treating the disease depends on how severe the violations of the kidneys are.

When organizing the treatment of renal failure, the main thing is elimination of the root cause that provoked the disease:

the use of glucocorticosteroids in the presence of glomerulonephritis and autoimmune diseases;
organization of plasmapheresis - blood purification, if renal failure has developed due to intoxication;
antibiotics in the presence of infectious lesions of the kidneys;
therapeutic measures to normalize the outflow of urine and eliminate obstacles in the urethra;
prescribing drugs to normalize blood pressure in hypertension.

Therapy for renal failure includes mandatory therapeutic measures that help improve the patient's condition:

normalization of the water-salt balance is carried out by intravenous infusion of plasma-substituting solutions;
elimination of blood acidification using droppers with the introduction of sodium bicarbonate;
fighting anemia through blood transfusion;
organization of hemodialysis to cleanse the blood of decay products and toxins;
Kidney transplantation is performed in advanced cases, when other methods of treatment have been powerless.

Treatment of kidney failure in pregnant women

Renal failure can affect pregnant women, more often in the later stages. Basically, acute insufficiency develops against the background of infectious lesions of the kidneys (pyelonephritis, neglected), which can become chronic.

Treatment is required immediately, the ideal option is considered placement in a hospital.

Therapy of the disease during pregnancy is complex, but when prescribing medications, their possible negative effect on the fetus should be taken into account.

Tactics for the treatment of renal failure in pregnant women:

prescription of antibiotics and antiviral tablets;
transfer to a sparing protein-free diet;
elimination of cardiovascular insufficiency;
organization of infusion therapy to eliminate dehydration;
elimination of obstructions in the urinary tract;
in severe condition - the organization of hemodialysis.

Delivery is carried out by caesarean section according to the life indications of a woman. Subsequent pregnancies can be planned after partial restoration of kidney function.

After suffering severe forms of the disease with non-recovered renal function, pregnancy is strictly prohibited.

What is the danger of the disease - the consequences

In the absence of treatment or its ineffectiveness, the course of the disease leads to a number of negative complications:

Preventive measures

plays an important role in the prevention of kidney failure following simple rules:

preventing the occurrence of diseases affecting the kidneys and other organs of the urinary system (cystitis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, glomerulonephritis);
timely treatment of any infectious and non-infectious kidney diseases;
quitting smoking and drinking alcohol;
proper, rationally organized nutrition;
prevention of uncontrolled intake of drugs;
regular delivery of a general urine test, optimally - once every six months;
observation by a nephrologist in the presence of pathologies in the kidneys.

Kidney failure is a disease that should not be ignored. The disease is dangerous in terms of a hidden beginning, when, with external well-being and well-being, the kidneys gradually lose their vital functions, and the body is slowly poisoned.

Therefore, it is so important to consult a doctor at the slightest malfunction in the urinary system. If detected early, kidney failure is treated and kidney function is restored.

Learn more about the symptoms and causes of the disease from the video clip:

Pay attention to changes in urination. Both acute and chronic forms of renal failure are often accompanied by an increase or decrease in diuresis. In particular, chronic renal failure is accompanied by urinary incontinence and/or recurrent urinary tract infection. Damage to the renal tubules leads to polyuria. Polyuria is an excessive production of urine that usually occurs in the early stages of kidney failure. Chronic renal failure can also cause a decrease in daily urination, which usually occurs in more advanced forms of the disease. Other changes include the following:

Proteinuria: In kidney failure, protein passes into the urine. Due to the presence of protein, urine foams.
Hematuria: Dark orange urine is the result of red blood cells in the urine.

Watch out for sudden feelings of fatigue. One of the first signs of chronic kidney failure is fatigue. This is due to anemia, when there are not enough red blood cells in the body to carry oxygen. Due to the decrease in oxygen, you will feel tired and cold. Anemia is attributed to the fact that the kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin, which causes your bone marrow to produce red blood cells. But because the kidneys are damaged, they produce less of this hormone, and therefore less red blood cells are also produced.

Pay attention to swelling of body parts. Edema is an accumulation of fluid in the body that can occur in both acute and chronic renal failure. When the kidneys stop working properly, fluid begins to accumulate in the cells, which leads to swelling. Most often, swelling occurs in the hands, feet, legs and face.

Call your doctor if you experience dizziness or slow thinking. Dizziness, poor concentration, or lethargy can be caused by anemia. All due to the fact that not enough blood cells enter your brain.

Look for pain in your upper back, legs, or side. Polycystic kidney disease causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys. Sometimes cysts can also form in the liver. They cause severe pain. The fluid in the cysts contains toxins that can damage the nerve endings in the lower extremities and lead to neuropathy, dysfunction of one or more peripheral nerves. In turn, neuropathy causes pain in the lower back and legs.

Watch for shortness of breath, bad breath, and/or a metallic taste in your mouth. When your kidneys begin to fail, metabolic end products, most of which are acidic, will begin to accumulate in the body. The lungs will begin to compensate for this increased acidity by removing carbon dioxide through rapid breathing. This will make you feel like you can't catch your breath.

Pay attention if you suddenly start to itch or have dry skin. Chronic kidney failure causes pruritis (the medical term for itchy skin). This itching is caused by the accumulation of phosphorus in the blood. All foods contain some phosphorus, but some foods, such as dairy, contain more phosphorus than others. Healthy kidneys are able to filter and remove phosphorus from the body. However, in chronic renal failure, phosphorus lingers in the body and phosphorus crystals begin to form on the surface of the skin, which cause itching.