Chronic kidney failure is not contagious.

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 07, 2024
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
43sec home-news-image

Is stage five chronic kidney failure serious?

Strictly speaking, there is no condition called "chronic renal failure stage five," but there is a term "chronic kidney disease stage five." Chronic kidney disease is divided into five stages based on the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Stage five chronic kidney disease indicates that the patient's GFR is less than 15 milliliters per minute, which is about 15% of normal kidney function and is essentially equivalent to uremia. Therefore, chronic renal failure or chronic kidney disease stage five is very dangerous and can cause many complications. Moreover, this type of kidney failure is irreversible and incurable, and the patient may need to undergo dialysis or a kidney transplant.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
43sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
1min 22sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
45sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
41sec home-news-image

What should I do about edema from chronic renal failure?

Chronic renal failure often leads to edema, which is a common symptom associated with the decreased ability of the kidneys to excrete water, resulting in significant water retention in the body. There are two treatment options for this disease. First, medication can be used, typically diuretics such as loop diuretics. After administration, the patient's urine output increases, which can help reduce edema. Second, for patients who do not respond well to medication, and in cases where edema leads to heart failure or pulmonary edema, dialysis treatment may be considered. Through dialysis ultrafiltration and dehydration, edema can also be alleviated.