Kidney disease - Selected doctors

The kidneys act as the body's control organs. They regulate the water balance, blood pressure, hormone balance and acid-base balance. It therefore quickly becomes clear that kidney disease affects the body in many different ways. But what types of kidney disease, also known as nephropathies, are there and how are they diagnosed and treated? Find out more below.

What are the different types of kidney disease?

When the kidneys stop working, chronic or acute kidney failure occurs, also known as renal insufficiency. The acute form of renal failure develops within a few hours or days. It is reversible, i.e. it can be reversed again. The chronic form of renal failure, on the other hand, develops over a longer period of time. It can be stopped with appropriate therapy so that the symptoms do not develop further.

In addition to insufficiency, the kidneys are also affected by inflammation in some cases. These are localized either in the renal corpuscles(glomerulonephritis), in the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis) or in the kidney tissue.

In addition, cysts and benign or malignant tumours(kidney cancer) also occur in the kidneys from time to time, although the latter are rather rare. Kidney stones, on the other hand, occur when substances from the urine do not dissolve completely and form crystals instead.

One of the kidneys' tasks is to produce erythropoietin for blood formation. If the kidneys are diseased, this often leads to a deficiency. The result is renal anemia, i.e. anemia due to kidney disease.

How do kidney diseases occur?

The various kidney diseases can be traced back to different causes. Kidney cysts, for example, are usually hereditary. Possible causes of kidney inflammation, on the other hand, are

• an existing diabetes disease
• Infectious diseases such as hepatitis or inflammation of the heart
• certain medications
• cancer
• Immune system antibodies that accumulate in the kidneys
• autoimmune diseases

Common symptoms

You can recognize kidney disease by changes in the urine. Among other things, there may be a greatly reduced or increased amount of urine. The color and transparency of the urine is also affected by kidney disease. Cloudy urine, for example, is an indication of protein deposits caused by inflammation of the kidneys. Blood in the urine is also a sign of inflammatory reactions in the kidneys.

Sudden high blood pressure, edema, headaches, visual disturbances and susceptibility to infections are also symptoms of kidney failure. As the kidneys have a major influence on various bodily functions, non-specific symptoms can also occur. These include paleness, rapid fatigue, weight gain or malaise.

How the doctor diagnoses kidney disease

If you suspect that you are suffering from kidney disease, first consult your GP. The first indication of an actual kidney disease is a blood test.

Among other things, this can determine the glomerular filtration rate. This indicates how quickly and effectively the kidneys filter the urine. In the case of insufficiency, this value is usually reduced. The inflammation values (the leukocyte count) and the creatinine value in the blood are also decisive if kidney disease is suspected. In addition, your blood pressure will be measured and a urine test will be initiated in the laboratory.

If the initial suspicion is confirmed, you should consult a nephrologist. This is a specialist doctor who specializes in kidney diseases.

What treatment will the nephrologist initiate?

The therapy depends on the type and nature of the disease. In many cases, suitable medication is the treatment of choice. In cases of severe inflammation of the kidneys, the nephrologist usually administers glucocorticoids or immunosuppressants to suppress the body's inflammatory reaction.

If medication does not work, dialysis may be necessary. This involves artificially cleansing the blood and removing toxins. In the case of high blood pressure, the doctor will prescribe an antihypertensive drug at his discretion. ACE inhibitors have proven to be effective here.

Take care of your kidneys

As you can see, the kidney is a complex organ with many functions. Once it is diseased, a nephrologist can help with a thorough examination and the appropriate therapy.

To prevent kidney damage, consume salt and fat only in moderation. If you already have kidney disease, stick to a low-protein diet. Controlled fluid intake may be necessary.