Kidney Disease
AKI – Acute Kidney Injury
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days. AKI causes a build-up of waste products in your blood and makes it hard for your kidneys to keep the right balance of fluid in your body. AKI can also affect other organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs. Acute kidney injury is common in patients who are in the hospital, in intensive care units, and especially in older adults.
Signs and Symptoms of AKI
Signs and symptoms of acute kidney injury differ depending on the cause and may include:
* Too little urine leaving the body
* Swelling in legs, ankles, and around the eyes
* Fatigue or tiredness
* Shortness of breath
* Confusion
* Nausea
* Seizures or coma in severe cases
* Chest pain or pressure
In some cases, AKI causes no symptoms and is only found through other tests done by your healthcare provider.
CKD – Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy by doing the jobs listed. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease.These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time. Chronic kidney disease may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders. Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease from getting worse. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.
Signs and Symptoms of CKD
Most people may not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. However, you may notice that you:
* Feel more tired and have less energy
* Have trouble concentrating
* Have a poor appetite
* Have trouble sleeping
* Have muscle cramping at night
* Have swollen feet and ankles
* Have puffiness around your eyes, especially in the morning
* Have dry, itchy skin
* Have to urinate more often, especially at night.
Anyone can get chronic kidney disease at any age. However, some people are more likely than others to develop kidney disease. You may have an increased risk for kidney disease if you:
* Have diabetes
* Have high blood pressure
* Have a family history of kidney failure are older belong to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians.