Your kidneys help clean your blood.
They take out waste. Sometimes they stop working well. This can make you feel tired. Doctors can help you stay well. Do you know where your kidneys are?
Your kidneys clean your blood. They take out waste. Sometimes they stop working well.
This can happen fast. Or it can happen slowly. When this happens, you might feel tired. You might also feel sick to your stomach.
Some people get swelling in their legs. Others might find it hard to sleep. It can even make your skin look dark.
Doctors can help you. A machine can clean your blood. Or you can get a new kidney.
Many people stay well with help.
Your kidneys clean your blood by filtering out waste. Kidney failure happens when they stop working well. This means they work at less than 15% of normal levels.
There are two main types of kidney failure. Acute kidney failure happens very fast. It may go away if the cause is fixed. Chronic kidney failure happens slowly. This type is often permanent. Many people with chronic failure have diabetes or high blood pressure.
When kidneys fail, waste builds up in the body. This is called uremia. You might feel very tired or weak. This happens because of anemia, which is when blood lacks enough red cells. You might also feel sick to your stomach or have itchy skin. Some people see swelling in their legs or face.
Doctors use a test called GFR to check kidney health. GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate. It measures how well the kidneys filter. If the GFR is below 15, it is stage 5 failure.
People can get help through dialysis. This is a way to clean the blood. Hemodialysis uses a machine to do this outside the body. Some people also get a kidney transplant. This is a surgery to get a new kidney from someone else.
Your kidneys have a very important job to do every day. They act like tiny filters that clean waste from your blood. Kidney failure happens when these filters stop working well. This means the kidneys work at less than 15% of their normal levels.
There are two main ways this can happen. Acute kidney failure develops very quickly. It can sometimes go away if the cause is fixed. Chronic kidney failure happens much more slowly. This type is often permanent and cannot be reversed.
When kidneys fail, waste builds up in the body. This buildup is called uremia. This can make a person feel very sick. Some people feel tired or weak because of anemia. Anemia happens when the blood lacks enough red blood cells. Healthy kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin to help make these cells. If the kidneys fail, they make less of this hormone. Other symptoms include swelling in the legs or face. You might also feel itchy or have a bad taste in your mouth.
Doctors use special tests to find out what is happening. They often look at a number called the GFR. This stands for glomerular filtration rate. It measures how well the kidneys are filtering the blood. Chronic kidney disease is divided into five different stages. Stage 1 means the kidneys have only a little trouble. Stage 5 is the most serious stage. This is also called end-stage renal disease. At this stage, the GFR is less than 15 ml/min.
Many different things can cause the kidneys to stop working. For chronic failure, common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure. Polycystic kidney disease is another cause. This disease creates large, fluid-filled cysts on the kidneys. Acute failure can be caused by accidents or injuries. It can also happen from certain medications or bee stings. In the United States, acute failure affects about 3 out of every 1,000 people each year. In Canada, the lifetime risk of kidney failure is 2.66% for men.
There are ways to help people when their kidneys fail. One way is called dialysis. Hemodialysis uses a machine to filter the blood outside the body. Another way is peritoneal dialysis. This uses a special fluid inside the belly to clean the blood. Some people may need a kidney transplant. This is a surgery to get a kidney from someone else. People with chronic failure can often continue to work with the right help. Staying active and changing what you eat can also help.
Kidney failure is a serious medical condition where the kidneys can no longer filter waste products from the blood effectively. This occurs when the organs function at less than 15% of their normal capacity. This state is sometimes called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Because the kidneys are responsible for cleaning the blood and maintaining balance, failure affects many parts of the body. It can be classified into two main types: acute and chronic. Acute failure develops rapidly and may be reversible. Chronic failure develops slowly and is often irreversible.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) happens when the blood supply to the kidneys is suddenly interrupted. It can also occur when the kidneys are overloaded with toxins. One cause is a sudden loss of blood flow during surgeries, such as heart-bypass surgery. Other causes include drug overdoses or even bee stings. In some cases, a condition called crush syndrome causes AKI. This happens when toxins from damaged muscles are suddenly released into the blood. This release includes substances like myoglobin, potassium, and phosphorus. These products can clog and destroy the kidneys during a process called reperfusion injury.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a slower process that can lead to permanent damage. The most common causes are diabetes mellitus and long-term, uncontrolled hypertension, which is high blood pressure. Other causes include polycystic kidney disease, where large fluid-filled cysts grow on the kidneys. Some people may also develop CKD from long-term lithium treatment. For example, about 0.53% of people on lithium develop end-stage renal failure. Genetic factors also play a role. The APOL1 gene is a major risk factor for certain types of kidney failure in people of African origin.
When the kidneys fail, waste products build up in the blood. This condition is called azotemia. If the buildup is severe enough to cause noticeable symptoms, it is called uremia. Symptoms can vary widely between different people. Some may experience vomiting, nausea, or a loss of appetite. Others might notice swelling in their hands, legs, or face. High levels of potassium in the blood, known as hyperkalemia, can cause abnormal heart rhythms or muscle paralysis. A buildup of phosphates can lead to itching or even bone damage.
Kidney failure also affects the blood through a condition called anemia. Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin. This hormone tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. When kidneys fail, they produce less erythropoietin. This results in fewer red blood cells to carry oxygen. People with anemia often feel very tired, weak, or dizzy. They may also have trouble concentrating or experience low blood pressure. Additionally, damaged kidneys may allow large proteins to leak into the urine, causing it to look foamy or bubbly.
Doctors diagnose kidney failure by measuring the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The GFR measures how well the kidneys filter blood. Chronic kidney disease is divided into five distinct stages based on this rate. Stage 1 shows mildly diminished function with few symptoms. Stages 2 and 3 require increasing medical support to slow the decline. Stages 4 and 5 are the most severe. Stage 5 is equivalent to end-stage renal disease, where the GFR is less than 15 ml/min. Doctors also look at serum creatinine levels to track kidney health.
Treatment depends on whether the failure is acute or chronic. For acute failure, doctors treat the underlying cause to help the kidneys recover. For chronic failure, patients often need renal replacement therapy. One method is hemodialysis, which uses a machine to filter blood outside the body. Another method is peritoneal dialysis. This involves placing a specific fluid into the abdominal cavity to clean the blood. Some patients may undergo a kidney transplant. This surgery places a kidney from another person into the patient's body. Patients receiving a transplant must take immunosuppressant medication to prevent rejection.
Kidney failure affects many people globally. In the United States, acute failure affects about 3 per 1,000 people every year. Chronic failure affects about 1 in 1,000 people. In Canada, the lifetime risk of end-stage renal disease is estimated at 2.66% for men and 1.76% for women. While the condition is serious, many people with chronic disease can continue working with appropriate treatment. Managing the condition often includes staying active and making specific dietary changes. It is also important to monitor mental health, as depression is common among these patients.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (1)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.