Kidney Disease and Failure

High Blood pressure

Damage:
High blood pressure makes the heart work harder and, over time, can damage blood vessels throughout the body. If the blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged, they may stop removing wastes and extra fluid from the body. The extra fluid in the blood vessels may then raise blood pressure even more. It's a dangerous cycle.

Kidney Disease and Failure

Diabetes
Damage:
diabetes, the nephrons thicken and slowly become scarred over time. The kidneys begin to leak and protein (albumin) passes into the urine.

Slow the damage/Treatment:

Changing your diet Taking insulin or other medicines your doctor prescribes Knowing the basic steps for managing your blood sugar levels at home Checking your blood sugar levels and keeping a record of them (ask your doctor and diabetes educator how often to check)

Kidney Disease and Failure

Glomerulonephritis Damage: Glomerulonephritis is a disease of the kidneys in which there is inflammation of the filtering units, called glomeruli. This inflammation can cause protein and red blood cells to leak into the urine while toxins normally removed by the kidney are retained in the body. Kidney failure develops when the kidney becomes less effective at filtering out waste products, water and salt from the blood.

Treatment
When glomerulonephritis has slowed the amount of urine a person is producing, he or she may be given medications called diuretics, which help the body to rid itself of excess water and salt by producing more urine. More severe forms of the disease are treated with medications to control high blood pressure, as well as changes in diet to reduce the work of the kidneys. Some people with severe glomerulonephritis may be treated with medications called immunosuppressive drugs, which decrease the activity of the immune system medications include azathioprine (Imuran), corticosteroids (Prednisone, Methylprednisolone), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) or mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept). Plasma exchange, a procedure during which substances thought to cause inflammation and kidney damage are removed from the blood, can be helpful in certain types of autoimmune or antibody-mediated glomerulonephritis
Ultimately solution: Dialysis or Kidney transplant

Kidney Disease and Failure

Polycystic kidney disease Damage: Polycystic kidney disease is a kidney disorder passed down through families in which many cysts form in the kidneys, causing them to become enlarged A cyst is a closed pocket or pouch of tissue. It can be filled with air, fluid, pus, or other material.

Treatment
Blood pressure medicines Diuretics (water pills) Low-salt diet Ultimately solution: Dialysis or Kidney transplant