Chronic Kidney Disease

YOUR KIDNEYS AND HOW THEY WORK

Most people are born with two kidneys. They are located in the small of your back, behind your abdominal organs. They are on both sides of the spine and shaped like kidney beans. They are about the size of a tightened fist and weigh about a quarter pound each. They perform many important functions. Your kidneys are made up of a millions of tiny filters. You blood goes through these filters to be cleaned. Your kidneys are important to removing waste products and excess fluid in your body by excreting it through urine. Your kidneys also regulates hormones that control blood pressure, makes red blood cells, and prevents bone disease. Your kidneys keep your body in balance by regulating the appropriate amounts of salts and chemicals in your body.

KIDNEY FAILURE

If both kidneys decrease their work or stop working for any reason, this is called "kidney failure". When the filters in the kidneys are damaged and become less able to perform their job, waste products build up in the bloodstream (uremia) and essential proteins may be lost in your urine. Your body may also lose its ability to regulate blood pressure, balance your body's fluids, control the production of blood, control how calcium is used in the body, and make vitamins which control bone growth.

WHAT CAUSES KIDNEY FAILURE

Kidney failure can be due to many things. A leading cause of kidney failure can be caused by diabetes (high blood sugar levels). Second leading cause is hypertension (high blood pressure). Other causes of kidney failure can be congenital (born with), inherited (runs in the family), infections, inflammation, and drugs and toxins.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease is a decrease function of your kidneys and it is separated into 5 different stages.

What do my lab values mean?

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)	Glomerular Filtration Rate is a blood test measurement of kidney function used to determine the risk of kidney disease.
Creatinine (Cr)	A waste product in the blood produced by normal tissue breakdown. It is removed from the blood by the kidneys. This level tells how well a kidney is working.
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)	A waste product from the protein we eat. This waste is not needed by the body.
Potassium (K+)	A mineral necessary to the body, but harmful when found in excess. Hyperkalemia is a condition in which there is an excess of potassium in the body. Hypokalemia is a condition where there is a decreased level of potassium in the body.
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)	Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) is secreted by the parathyroid gland and helps regulate calcium in the blood and essential to bone strength.
Vitamin D	Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. It is important for bone growth and remodeling. Vitamin D also plays a role in your nerves, muscles, and immune system.
Calcium	A mineral found in the blood that is important to bone growth and formation, and body functioning.

RESOURCES

National Kidney Foundation Polycystic Kidney Disease - Mayo Clinic