Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Failure

Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
Updated on September 29, 2024
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The clinical symptoms of chronic renal failure mainly include symptoms related to disturbances in electrolyte and acid-base balance, as well as symptoms of metabolic disorders of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. There are also manifestations in various organ systems, including the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, hematologic system, neuromuscular system, endocrine system, and bone lesions. Metabolic acidosis is common; patients may also exhibit water and sodium retention or hypovolemia and hyponatremia. Potassium metabolism disorders are often characterized by hyperkalemia, while disturbances in phosphorus and calcium metabolism are mainly manifested as hyperphosphatemia and calcium deficiency. Patients may also show cardiovascular manifestations, primarily hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and uremic cardiomyopathy. Gastrointestinal symptoms in patients may include loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Additionally, renal anemia and a tendency to bleed are common, and skeletal changes are quite frequent, leading to malnutrition of bones, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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How to test for chronic renal failure?

The examinations for patients with chronic kidney failure are divided into several aspects: First, it is necessary to confirm the presence of chronic kidney failure and assess its severity. This requires blood tests for kidney function, observing levels of blood creatinine and urea nitrogen, and performing endogenous creatinine clearance tests to determine the degree of kidney failure; Second, it is important to determine whether there are complications associated with kidney failure. Therefore, routine blood tests are necessary to check for renal anemia, blood pressure measurements to observe if there is renal hypertension, and blood tests for electrolytes to check for any electrolyte disorders. These patients also need to have their parathyroid hormone levels checked and undergo iron metabolism tests to provide a basis for further treatment.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Chronic Renal Failure Treatment Plan

The treatment of chronic renal failure primarily requires a clear understanding of the cause, and treatment targeting the cause is essential to slow the progression of chronic renal failure. The most common causes of chronic renal failure are diabetes, hypertension, and chronic nephritis. Therefore, for patients with chronic renal failure caused by diabetes, insulin is often needed to control blood sugar. For patients with hypertensive kidney disease, antihypertensive drugs are certainly necessary to control blood pressure. However, in the early stages of renal failure, ACE inhibitors or ARBs are the preferred choices. For patients with chronic nephritis in the early stages, corticosteroid medications are required for treatment. However, if the serum creatinine has already exceeded 256 micromoles per liter, treatment then focuses mainly on managing complications, and corticosteroids are no longer used. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Niu Yan Lin
Nephrology
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Diet for Patients with Chronic Renal Failure

Patients with chronic kidney failure should first pay attention to a low-salt and low-fat diet, with daily salt intake less than six grams, and try to eat less salty food such as pickled vegetables and preserved products. Additionally, due to the impaired excretion of potassium and phosphorus in patients with chronic kidney failure, it is necessary to eat less high-phosphorus and high-potassium foods. Common high-phosphorus foods include various marinated meats and other processed foods, and common high-potassium foods include fruits such as bananas, peaches, mangoes, and vegetables like green vegetables and potatoes. At the same time, it is important to maintain a high-quality, low-protein diet. If dialysis treatment has not yet been started, protein intake should be controlled at 0.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. If dialysis treatment has already begun, the standards can be appropriately relaxed.

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Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
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Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Failure

The clinical symptoms of chronic renal failure mainly include symptoms related to disturbances in electrolyte and acid-base balance, as well as symptoms of metabolic disorders of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. There are also manifestations in various organ systems, including the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, hematologic system, neuromuscular system, endocrine system, and bone lesions. Metabolic acidosis is common; patients may also exhibit water and sodium retention or hypovolemia and hyponatremia. Potassium metabolism disorders are often characterized by hyperkalemia, while disturbances in phosphorus and calcium metabolism are mainly manifested as hyperphosphatemia and calcium deficiency. Patients may also show cardiovascular manifestations, primarily hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and uremic cardiomyopathy. Gastrointestinal symptoms in patients may include loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Additionally, renal anemia and a tendency to bleed are common, and skeletal changes are quite frequent, leading to malnutrition of bones, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Does chronic renal failure require dialysis?

Not all cases of chronic renal failure require dialysis. It is only considered when chronic renal failure progresses to an advanced stage, causing severe consequences, and the kidneys are unable to maintain normal body functions, leading to many complications. Generally, when chronic renal failure progresses to its final stage, i.e., uremia, the kidney function is left with about 10% capacity. The body then experiences a disruption in its internal environment, including the accumulation of a large amount of metabolic waste, serious electrolyte disorders, and severe metabolic acidosis. It is at this point that dialysis is considered. In the early stages of chronic renal failure, dialysis is not necessary.