Everyday mistakes that ruin our kidneys

The kidneys are an organ that performs key functions for our body: they help remove harmful metabolic products, regulate blood pressure, and ensure homeostasis of the most important electrolytes for health. Unfortunately, everyday habits can adversely affect their operation, which increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, and thus – the need to undertake difficult and long treatment, including dialysis. How to take care of the kidneys? What harms them the most?

Kidney disease – still ignored by patients

Kidney problems are often underestimated. Too frequent or infrequent urination, pain (in the lower back) and burning during micturition, nausea and vomiting, heart problems, shortness of breath, high blood pressure and a metallic taste in the mouth are the most common symptoms that may indicate that this organ does not work properly. This is an alarm signal that should prompt an immediate visit to the nephrologist.

Unfortunately, many Poles choose to wait out the ailments in such a situation. This is a solution with dire consequences. Untreated kidney diseases can cause, among others severe organ failure, sepsis, hypertension and recurrent infections. In extreme cases, it can even lead to death.

Habits that ruin kidney function

The lifestyle directly affects the condition of the whole organism. The condition of our kidneys is primarily influenced by diet and stimulants. The most tragic consequences may turn out to be:

1. high-protein diet – eating too much meat (mainly red), legumes, dairy and eggs does not help the kidneys; protein metabolism leads to the production of nitrogen and other toxic metabolic products, which can cause arterial hypertension and the formation of, for example, kidney stones; 
2. insufficient amount of water in the daily menu – too low hydration of the body impairs the physiological functioning of the kidneys, so that they cannot sufficiently eliminate toxins from the body or filter the blood;
3. overuse of painkillers – popular drugs taken for all kinds of pain, i.e. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are harmful not only to our liver; their chronic use reduces blood flow through the kidneys, and an improperly supplied organ cannot function properly – patients addicted to this type of pharmacological substance may develop interstitial nephritis;
4. retention of urine – due to the excess of professional and household duties, some people postpone the visit to the toilet, while the urine remaining in the not emptied bladder may multiply with pathogenic bacteria – hence the easy way to inflammation of the urinary tract and kidneys;
5. excessive amount of salt in the diet – salt is considered the number one enemy not only of the kidneys, but also of the health of the whole organism; it is present in most food products; consumed in an amount greater than 5 grams a day promotes the development of obesity, increases the amount of protein in the urine, increases blood pressure, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and is one of the causes of kidney stones;
6. smoking – this fatal habit effectively raises blood pressure; cigarettes are most often associated with lung diseases (including cancer), but the toxic substances contained in them can cause excessive build-up of atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries of the kidneys, which in turn can lead to end-stage failure of this organ; Moreover, the results of scientific studies have shown that smokers are also much more likely to suffer from kidney and urinary tract cancer;
7. highly processed fast food – this type of food is still very popular: you can get it at every turn and satisfy your hunger in no time. The taste qualities are the only things that can be attributed to this type of dish. Fast food is primarily a source of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. These caloric bombs increase the risk of obesity and therefore high blood pressure. Consuming fries or a hamburger every few months won’t hurt, but people with kidney problems should avoid them.

The most popular methods of treatment

The choice of treatment for kidney disease depends on many factors. For a doctor, the most important are the type and cause of the disease, the degree of its advancement, as well as the presence of comorbidities, e.g. diabetes or arterial hypertension.

If the cause of the ailment is known, the aim is to remove it, e.g. deposits that hinder the free flow of fluids. In some cases, it is necessary to use appropriate pharmacotherapy, in particular the administration of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.

Sometimes the only option is renal replacement therapy – hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. In Poland, kidney transplantation from a living or deceased donor is more and more often performed.

What is dialysis?

Renal dialysis is the removal of harmful substances from the metabolism (e.g. toxins, metabolites of medications, some electrolytes) that cannot be physiologically removed by the kidneys.

There are two types of dialysis:

1. hemodialysis – intended for patients with advanced kidney diseases; blood is passed through an artificial kidney in this case, which is aimed at getting rid of all harmful substances;
2. peritoneal – in this case, the filter is the peritoneum itself. A special dialysis fluid with the appropriate chemical composition is introduced into the abdominal cavity, allowing the penetration and absorption of specific substances. This procedure is most often performed at the patient’s home, which is very convenient for him.

Unfortunately, dialysis is very exhausting for patients, because the frequency of procedures is on average 3 times a week, 5 hours a day, which translates into about 15 hours a week.

Living donor kidney transplant as a chance for a better life

Transplantation has been common in medicine for over 60 years. As a result, these procedures are already carried out in hospitals and clinics on a routine basis. In Poland, the number of kidney transplants from living or deceased donors has been falling for the last three years. Living donor kidney transplantation is the most beneficial, which translates into an average of 15 years of proper functioning of this organ.

The best donor for a sick person is a close family member: father, mother, sister or brother. Before transplantation, the donor performs a number of necessary laboratory and diagnostic tests (including morphology, ultrasound, X-ray, urine tests, computed tomography). The determination of the histocompatibility antigens (HLA) is of key importance.

Today, kidney transplantation is often performed in a minimally invasive manner, mainly due to the widespread use of laparoscopy and the use of manual assistance. Thanks to this, the patient stays in a medical facility much shorter and has a chance of faster recovery.