09/05/2021
KIDNEY FAILURE
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
Kidney failure, also known as End Stage Kidney Disease, is a condition in which the kidneys are functioning at critically less than normal levels. It is classified as either acute kidney failure, which develops rapidly and may resolve or chronic kidney failure, which develops slowly and more often than not is irreversible.
The focus of today’s article is Chronic Kidney Disease-an umbrella term encompassing all degrees of decreased kidney function, from damaged-at risk through to mild, moderate and severe kidney disease; Chronic Kidney Failure.
Chronic Kidney Disease is defined as abnormalities of kidney structure or function, present for three or more months, with implications for health. Kidney damage may be detected by the presence of abnormalities in blood, urine or on kidney imaging. The implications of this damage is the loss of the kidney’s key functions (such as filtering of blood to remove waste, fluid balance, salt, potassium, phosphate, acid and other mineral regulation, bone health and facilitating red cell production).
Chronic Kidney Disease is often not recognised because there are no specific symptoms and by the time symptoms develop, the disease is advanced. This underscores the need for regular screening for kidney disease and regular check-ups in those at high risk and or at early stages of the disease.
It must be stressed that this article is far from a comprehensive review of the subject. We have rather attempted to be brief but succinct, emphasising the most important aspects.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐃𝐫 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒐 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐨 (𝐌𝐁𝐁𝐒, 𝐌𝐌𝐞𝐝-𝐈𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐝)
#𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲
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