Renal Impairment Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Kidneys are important organs in the human body with multiple jobs. Besides filtering waste out of your blood, kidneys activate vitamin D, regulate electrolytes, play a major role in making red blood cells, and remove urine as extra fluid from the blood. In case the kidneys get damaged, they fail to work as expected which means that they are unable to filter waste products from the blood leading to renal impairment. Kidneys may stop working suddenly in what physicians call the acute renal failure or acute kidney failure. The good news is that this condition is not permanent and can be reversed through treatment.

Renal Impairment Causes

There are basically three causes of renal impairment and we will look at each of them.

1. When there’s something blocking the flow of blood to the kidneys and could be as a result of any of the following;
• An infection
• Liver failure
• Medications such as naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen
• Heart failure
• Blood pressure medications
• Blood or fluid loss
• Dehydration or severe burns

2. When you have a condition that inhibits urine from leaving the kidneys which could be as a result of;
• Enlarged prostate
• Cervical, bladder, prostate, or colon cancer
• The blood clot in the urinary tract
• Kidney stones
• Some medications that might damage the kidney
• Nerve damage in the bladder

3. When the damage is damaged directly as a result of;
• Blood clots
• Cholesterol deposits
• Glomerulonephritis

Symptoms of renal impairment

The following are signs and symptoms of renal impairment;
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Fluid retention that makes your legs, feet or ankles to swell
• Reduction in the output of urine
• Irregular heartbeat
• Seizures
• Chest pain

These are some of the signs of symptoms associated with renal impairment. However, experts suggest that this condition might not show any signs and symptoms meaning that it is only detectable through lab tests. However, if you experience any of these signs, seek medical attention as soon as possible and your doctor will carry out tests and advice you accordingly.

Renal impairment risk factors

According to medical professionals, renal impairment is associated with another medical condition or event and the following are some of the common examples.
• Advanced age
• When the blood vessels in the legs or arms are blocked
• When you’re hospitalized for a serious condition that calls for intensive care
• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• Certain cancer as well as their treatments
• Heart failure

Treatment of renal impairment

When detected early, renal impairment can be treated through one of the following ways;
• Diet – Potassium and salt are removed from your body via the kidneys and therefore, your physician may limit the amount you take in order to allow your kidneys to heal
• Drugs – When your doctor realizes that your kidney can’t filter potassium from your blood, he will prescribe glucose, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, or calcium to prevent high levels of potassium from accumulating in your blood. If calcium in the blood is too low, he will recommend calcium infusion
• Dialysis – If you have renal impairment, your physician may recommend hemodialysis that involves cleaning of your blood