Chronic Kidney Disease (cont.) More Chronic Kidney Disease Overview
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease occurs when one suffers from gradual and usually permanent loss of kidney function over time. This happens gradually, usually over months to years. Chronic kidney disease is divided into five stages of increasing severity (see Table 1 below). The term "renal" refers to the kidney, so another name for kidney failure is "renal failure." Mild kidney disease is often called renal insufficiency.
With loss of kidney function, there is an accumulation of water, waste, and toxic substances in the body that are normally excreted by the kidney. Loss of kidney function also causes other problems such as anemia, high blood pressure, acidosis (excessive acidity of body fluids), disorders of cholesterol and fatty acids, and bone disease.
Stage 5 chronic kidney disease is also referred to as kidney failure, end-stage kidney disease, or end-stage renal disease, wherein there is total or near-total loss of kidney function. There is dangerous accumulation of water, waste, and toxic substances, and most individuals in this stage of kidney disease need dialysis or transplantation to stay alive.
Unlike chronic kidney disease, acute kidney failure develops rapidly, over days or weeks.
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 11/11/2014
Medical Author:
Pranay Kathuria, MD, FACP, FASN, FNKF
Read the original post:
Kidney Disease Causes, Symptoms, Treatment - More Chronic ...