Tolleno, Hannah M.

Area: Hemo-Dialysis

Group 1-B (NR-41) CI: Sr. Mary John J.M. Racines

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder that causes many cysts to grow in the kidneys.
PKD cysts cause high blood pressure and problems with blood vessels in the brain and heart. Cysts in the
liver can also occur with PKD. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is an inherited disorder in which clusters of
cysts develop primarily within your kidneys, causing your kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time.
Cysts are noncancerous round sacs containing fluid. The cysts vary in size, and they can grow very large.

There are 2 types of PKD, (1) Autosomal Dominant PKD. Autosomal dominant PKD is often not
diagnosed until later in adulthood. For this reason, health care providers often call autosomal dominant
PKD "adult PKD." In many cases, PKD does not cause signs or symptoms until cysts are half an inch or
larger. (2) Autosomal Recessive PKD. Autosomal recessive PKD is a rare genetic disorder that affects the
liver as well as the kidneys. The signs of autosomal recessive PKD frequently appear in the earliest
months of life, even in the womb, so health care providers often call it "infantile PKD." Both autosomal
dominant and recessive polycystic kidney disease are conditions with severe associated morbidity and
mortality. Recent advances in the understanding of the genetic and molecular pathogenesis of both
ADPKD and ARPKD have resulted in new, targeted therapies designed to disrupt cell signaling pathways
responsible for the abnormal cell proliferation, dedifferentiation, apoptosis, and fluid secretion
characteristic of the disease. Herein we review the current understanding of the pathophysiology of
these conditions, as well as the current treatments derived from our understanding of the mechanisms
of these diseases. For Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for PKD. PKD may require changes in what you eat to
control blood pressure. Following a healthy eating plan can help lower blood pressure. A health care
provider may recommend the DASH eating plan, which focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
foods lower in sodium.