What is the prognosis of chronic kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease is the latest topic of discussion in one of our latest articles today, and below, esteemed London-based consultant nephrologist, Professor Jeremy Levy, walks us through both the main symptoms and prognosis of chronic kidney disease, and tells us the main differences between acute and chronic kidney disease.

What are the main symptoms of chronic kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease means that the kidneys have been affected by some illness or damage over many months or years, and usually has no symptoms at all. It is usually only found in a blood test and/or a urine test.

Very rarely, if people have the most severe form of chronic kidney disease, they can have symptoms such as lethargy, poor appetite, itching, and nausea, but most patients don’t have any symptoms.

How will I know if I have acute kidney disease or chronic kidney disease?

Acute kidney disease means something that has occurred suddenly that has rapidly damaged the kidneys, whereas chronic kidney disease refers to damage to the kidneys over a long period of time.

Acute kidney disease is usually caused by other acute illnesses, such as a heart attack or sepsis. People with acute kidney disease are usually very unwell, as the kidneys are usually the secondary organ that is affected. Tiredness, aches and pains, and fatigue are all common symptoms presented.

How exactly is chronic kidney disease managed?

It is managed by firstly trying to identify the cause. There are many conditions that can lead to chronic kidney disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, poor blood supply to the kidneys, and sometimes, infections.

Once the cause has been identified, we have to ensure that we do our best to prevent the chronic kidney disease getting worse. In many cases, we cannot make chronic kidney disease better, but we can stop it getting worse. This is achieved by lowering the blood pressure through medication.

A standard, healthy diet and plenty of regular exercise are also both very important. This all significantly helps prevent chronic kidney disease getting worse. If people smoke, they should definitely stop.

What is the general prognosis?

The prognosis of chronic kidney disease depends on a number of factors, and for some people, it can progress to kidney failure. For some though, it never causes any problems. One of the major factors relating to the overall prognosis will relate to the underlying cause of the patient’s chronic kidney disease.

The second major factor will be whether or not the kidney is leaking a lot of protein. If people have chronic kidney disease and their urine is full of protein because the kidneys are leaking protein, that tends to have a worse prognosis, and people can go on to suffer from progressive kidney damage.

Very often, chronic kidney disease only starts when people are in their 60s or 70s. In many older people, it is a very mild problem, and will never lead to kidney failure. The prognosis is very variable.

Professor Jeremy Levy is a highly proficient and well-respected consultant nephrologist who can help manage either your acute or chronic kidney disease. Visit his Top Doctors profile today to book a consultation with him.