What is dialysis? Dialysis is an artificial method of filtering the blood to remove toxins, excess salts and water – in other words, the normal role of the kidneys. There are two types: haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). This article discusses haemodialysis and how it works. What does haemodialysis mean? ‘Haemo’, of course, means […]
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Haematuria (blood in the urine) Haematuria means blood in the urine. If it is ‘microscopic’, this means something is so small that it can only be seen through a microscope. So, if you have microscopic haematuria, you have red blood cells in your urine that cannot be seen with the naked eye. In microscopic haematuria
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10 common CKD symptoms Keep track of your kidney data with PKB What are 10 symptoms of chronic kidney disease? Here they are. Urinary symptoms High blood pressure Shortness of breath and ankle swelling (red flag symptoms) – you need to see a doctor soon Tiredness Pain Muscle weakness Not being hungry Itching Poor concentration
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Which antibiotics are best for UTIs? It depends. [“Here we go again!” CKDEx Ed] Why? It depends what we mean by a UTI. Loosely there are two ‘types’: Uncomplicated UTIs – these mainly affect the bladder (cystitis), are mild, and are usually treated with oral antibiotics. An ultrasound is usually not necessary Complicated UTIs –
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Functions of kidney: potassium balance What is potassium? How much is too much potassium? Why is potassium high in CKD? Why might this be a problem? What are the symptoms? And what treatment is available? We aim to answer these questions and more. What is potassium? Potassium is a mineral that is found in many
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Can I prevent CKD? It is not possible to prevent CKD (and therefore kidney failure) completely. But. The big BUT. there is a lot you can do to reduce your chances of getting it; and if you have it, prevent it from getting worse. 7 key points Here are ‘7 golden rules’, i.e. things you
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10 drugs that can damage your kidneys Almost all drugs can affect the kidneys in some adverse way. But these 10 drugs are known to damage kidneys quite often. Certain antibiotics – aminoglycosides (e.g. gentamicin) and beta-lactams (cephalosporins, penicillins) Lithium – a bipolar disease mood stabiliser Acyclovir and ganciclovir (antivirals) Certain blood pressure tablets – angiotensin-converting enzyme
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Drugs that require dose reduction in CKD Most drugs are removed from the body by the kidneys. This means the blood levels of these drugs can build up in CKD, possibly making them toxic. Hence some drugs require dose reduction in CKD, and others should be avoided. Drugs to avoid in CKD Some antibiotics: tetracycline
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Drugs that can damage the kidneys (nephrotoxic) ‘Nephrotoxicity’ is a term used to describe a deterioration in kidney function due to the toxic effects of drugs or chemicals. A nephrotoxic drug is one that is known can damage the kidneys. Why does it matter? AKI. Nephrotoxicity is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI;
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Contrast nephropathy, also known as contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) or contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI), is a medical condition characterised by a rapid decline in kidney function that occurs shortly after the administration of a intravenous (IV) dye called ‘contrast media’. This is used in x-ray procedures like a computed tomogram (CT) scan, or an angiogram
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