What should I do about coughing caused by chronic kidney failure?

Written by Zhang Hui
Nephrology
Updated on September 29, 2024
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Patients with chronic renal failure who experience coughing should first analyze whether it is caused by an infection. In such cases, routine blood tests and chest CT scans are needed to confirm whether there are any infectious lesions in the lungs. Additionally, it should be checked whether the patient has systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, or other conditions, as these diseases can affect the lungs and cause pulmonary lesions leading to coughing. Therefore, treatment should be targeted based on the cause. If the cough is due to an infection, antibiotics are required, but the dosage must be adjusted according to the patient's kidney function. If the cough is due to pulmonary changes caused by a systemic disease, targeted treatment for the systemic disease is needed.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can people with chronic renal failure drink alcohol?

Patients with chronic renal failure should avoid drinking alcohol, as modern medicine has proven that alcohol is harmful to the human body and only causes damage. It can affect various systems, including the nervous system, respiratory system, circulatory system, and the metabolic system. Although the liver is the primary site for metabolizing alcohol, the byproducts of alcohol metabolism are ultimately excreted through urine, which increases the burden on the kidneys. Therefore, for patients with renal failure, drinking alcohol may lead to further progression of kidney damage. Moreover, when drinking, patients might consume a lot of high-protein and high-fat foods, which are also harmful to those with chronic renal failure.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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What are the symptoms of chronic kidney failure?

The symptoms of chronic kidney failure are related to the severity of the condition; the more severe the kidney failure, the more symptoms the patient will have. In the early stages, patients may not feel uncomfortable or show any symptoms. Some patients may experience swelling in the lower limbs and facial area. Others may display clinical signs such as elevated blood pressure and visible blood in the urine. As kidney failure progresses and blood creatinine levels exceed 442 umol/L, patients may experience fatigue, which is due to renal anemia. Some patients may also experience a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can chronic renal failure be cured by dialysis?

Patients with chronic renal failure can undergo dialysis treatment to sustain life and improve quality of life. However, dialysis merely uses artificial means to excrete accumulated metabolic wastes and fluids in the body, regulate the internal environment, and simply substitutes for the function of the kidneys. Dialysis has no therapeutic value for renal failure itself. Therefore, patients with chronic renal failure should not expect dialysis to restore kidney function. Nonetheless, as a renal replacement therapy, dialysis can provide patients with a relatively good lifespan and quality of life. Dialysis treatment is necessary for patients with uremia.

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Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
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Symptoms of chronic renal failure

The clinical symptoms of chronic renal failure vary at different stages. In the compensatory and early decompensatory stages of chronic renal failure, patients may experience no symptoms or only mild discomforts such as fatigue, back pain, and increased nocturia, while a few may suffer from reduced appetite, metabolic acidosis, and mild anemia. The main clinical symptoms include disorders of water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance, presenting metabolic acidosis, sodium retention or hypovolemia, or hyponatremia, along with hyperkalemia. Moreover, there are significant manifestations of excess phosphorus and calcium deficiency. Patients may also experience disruptions in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. Cardiovascular symptoms mainly include hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and uremic cardiomyopathy. Gastrointestinal symptoms can manifest as loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Hematological manifestations may include renal anemia and a tendency to bleed.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Chronic kidney failure is not contagious.

Chronic kidney failure is not contagious. Strictly speaking, chronic kidney failure is not an independent disease; it is a state of disease. It refers to various causes that damage the kidneys, leading to the loss of kidney tissue, and ultimately, the kidneys lose their ability to perform excretory functions. This state is called chronic kidney failure. Chronic kidney failure itself is not contagious. Contagious diseases involve some type of pathogen, whereas the common causes of chronic kidney failure include chronic nephritis, diabetes, kidney diseases, hypertensive nephropathy, etc. None of these diseases are contagious, hence chronic kidney failure is also not contagious.