Renal Failure

Indeed, the number of medical disorders that are present in this world is astonishingly big, notwithstanding the fact that more and more of the disorders come up as we continue. Among them, there are disorders which elicit interest in each of us, for me that will be renal failure. In this paper, research shall be conducted to expose details pertaining to the disorder on the basis of common medical grounds including the definition, diagnosis, symptoms and complications, treatment of the disorder, possible prevention, and, finally, the direction of research in this respect.

Definition

Kidneys are body organs which provide the function of filtering the blood from wastes in the form of toxins as well as getting rid of them. In addition to that important role, kidneys also regulate the amount of electrolytes in the body to provide a balance. From this explanation, we can deduce that renal or kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to perform the functions of electrolyte control, blood filtering, and waste disposal. Direct implications are related to the accumulation of toxins and imbalance in the electrolytes in the body.

Methods of Diagnosis

Diagnosis can be done on several levels: blood tests, urine tests, and abdominal ultra sound. In blood tests the main aim is to assess the changes in the waste in the blood, such that an increase in the level of waste signifies a shortcoming of the kidneys. On the other hand, urine tests check for the presence of protein, electrolyte levels, and presence of other cells.

Symptoms and Complications

Medics have come clear that at the beginning, renal failure may be asymptomatic, but at the start of the symptoms, a person suffering from this disorder may have swelling, general weakness, and short breaths. Apart from that, other symptoms include metabolic acidosis, heart rhythm problems, and increased urea level in the blood, lethargy, loss of appetite, fatigue, and at times, congestive heart failure. 

Treatment of Renal Failure

To get to the treating of renal failure, underlying disorders are the first order of business since they result in even more harm when they are not treated. In that case, the underlying diseases can make the renal functions to be reduced to fatal levels. Among the ones held high in the list are diabetes and hypertension. Preservation of kidney function is the most important aspect of treatment since the improvement of the functions is not guaranteed in most cases. First line of treatment will entail change in diet to relieve the body from the need to remove wastes. Reduction in elements such as Potassium and Phosphorous is among those in concern. To control some of the issues, medication may be taken to take care of the underlying problems, including lowering Phosphorous, improving red blood cell production, and blood pressure control. Total kidney failure will leave no choice but the use of machine aided detoxification, commonly referred to as dialysis or kidney transplants.

Prevention of Renal Failure

A multiplicity of factors and underlying illnesses are the main causes of kidney failure. In prevention, one should make sure that these disorders are avoided or treated early in the development stage to curb any serious complications that may emerge. In that case, diabetes should be avoided. Also, high blood pressure increase that may cause renal failure should be a major thing to be avoided.

Research in Renal Failure

Researchers have discovered new symptoms to predict progressive kidney failure. In the past, it was quite hard to do this, but they have confirmed a previous speculation on the effect of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). In that case, people with more glomerular filtrate rate (eGFR) of above 45 milliliters are at a higher risk. This will help in treatment of Phosphate problems that are contributors to the rate of kidney failure. Other new research has shown an advantage in doing dialysis in as frequent as a daily interval. Also, scientists have found genetic clues to major kidney diseases on a global scale.