TYPES OF KIDNEY FAILURE AND WHAT CAUSES IT

There are two types of kidney failure, acute kidney failure (which occurs suddenly) and chronic kidney failure (which occurs over time).

When a person has acute kidney failure, the kidneys cannot filter waste from the blood and remove it through the urine, this causes it to rise in the blood (in hours and days) and begin to cause discomfort or symptoms. Acute kidney failure can be reversible (as opposed to chronic) if it is detected and treated early, explains the nephrologist in Delhi.

When a person has chronic kidney failure, we mean that the kidneys have not been able to perform their functions properly for months or even years, and unlike acute kidney damage, the kidney damage is not reversed, states the nephrologist in Noida.

What are the causes of acute kidney failure?

When we speak of acute kidney failure, we mean damage to kidney function that occurs suddenly and can occur from a few hours to even days (not more than a month). It can be caused by various causes.

According to the nephrologist in Gurgaon, the causes of acute kidney failure are further divided into three categories, depending on where the damage occurs:

• Prerenal: It is the most frequent cause of acute kidney failure, occurring in up to 70% of cases. It can be caused by diarrhoea, vomiting, bleeding, heart disease, liver cirrhosis, and taking some medications.
• Intrinsic or parenchymal: It occurs in up to 20% of patients. It is due to injuries within the kidneys due to toxins (internal or external), because the kidneys do not receive enough blood, due to increased uric acid, for abusing some medications, including many in common use such as naproxen, diclofenac, ibuprofen, meloxicam, among others.
• Postrenal or obstructive: It occurs in approximately 10% of patients. The urinary tract is obstructed. It most often affects men, because the most common cause is prostate growth, but it can also affect women.

Remember that acute kidney failure can be reversible if treated appropriately and in a timely manner , so if you or any of your family members suspect that you may have acute kidney failure, do not hesitate to immediately contact the best kidney specialist in Delhi.

What are the causes of chronic kidney failure?

When a person is found to have chronic kidney failure, it means that the kidneys have been damaged for at least three months or years and are not doing their job properly.

In many patients with chronic kidney failure, the kidneys still have a little function, however, the disease progresses slowly and as time goes by, so if some medications and lifestyle changes are detected in time, they can slow down chronic kidney failure, says the kidney specialist in Delhi.

In order to talk about the types of chronic kidney failure, we must first know that it is the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), which means the amount of fluid in the body that the kidneys filter at a certain time , this amount is calculated by doctors with a special formula and must be equal to or greater than 90 ml / min / 1.73m2. Once we know this definition, we can know what the types of chronic kidney failure are, which are divided as follows:

• Stage 1: In this stage there is some damage to the kidneys, however GFR is normal or even increased (equal to or greater than 90 ml / min / 1.73m2).
• Stage 2: In this stage there is a slight reduction in GFR (60 – 89 ml / min / 1.73m2).
• Stage 3a: In this stage there is already a moderate reduction in GFR (45 – 59 ml / min / 1.73m2) and the damage to the kidneys at this point is no longer reversible.
• Stage 3b: As we observed in the previous stage, the damage can no longer be reversed, it is still considered as a moderate reduction in GFR (30 – 44 ml / min / 1.73m2).
• Stage 4: In this stage there is already a severe and significant reduction in TGF (15 – 29 ml / min / 1.73m2) and the symptoms are becoming more evident.
• Stage 5: In this stage the reduction of GFR is very severe (less than 15 ml / min / 1.73m2) and the kidneys no longer fulfil their functions of filtering and eliminating waste from the blood through urine, even patients stop urinating and already require dialysis.

Unlike acute kidney failure, chronic kidney failure cannot be reversed, especially when patients are in stage 3a, as explained above.

Having explained the types of kidney failure and what causes it, it is important to be able to identify them in time and immediately seek medical attention and contact the best nephrologist in Delhi. Remember that the timelier the care you receive, the better the quality of life that you and your family can lead.