Causes of Uremia

Written by Li Liu Sheng

Nephrology

Updated on October 19, 2024

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Uremia is a syndrome caused by the progressive development of various chronic kidney diseases, eventually leading to renal failure in patients, where the kidneys are unable to promptly eliminate excess water, various electrolytes, and toxins from the body. There are many causes of uremia; chronic nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, and hypertensive nephropathy are the most common causes. Other causes include chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis, chronic pyelonephritis, chronic obstructive nephropathy, toxic nephropathy, hereditary nephritis, renal vascular diseases, and lupus nephritis. Once uremia occurs, the preferred treatment is dialysis therapy, which can be either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Only after dialysis treatment can the life of a patient with uremia be prolonged.

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What causes uremia?

Uremia is very common in clinical practice. It is mainly caused by abnormal kidney functions, leading to abnormalities in glomerular filtration, as well as in the reabsorption and secretion functions of the renal tubules, which results in a series of symptoms. Once uremia occurs, it can disrupt the internal environment of the body, cause electrolyte abnormalities, and even lead to life-threatening arrhythmias. Uremia is very dangerous in clinical practice and often requires regular hemodialysis treatment. Therefore, once uremia occurs, medical attention must be sought promptly.

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Is hematuria the same as uremia?

Hematuria is not the same as uremia; hematuria is merely a symptom with various causes such as infections of the urinary system, tumors, stones, or decreased coagulation function leading to blood in the urine. After experiencing hematuria, it is necessary to promptly visit a hospital's urology department for routine urine tests, ultrasonography of the urinary system, CT scans, urinary system imaging, or even a cystoscopy to determine the specific cause of the hematuria. Uremia, on the other hand, primarily refers to damage to kidney function, leading to decreased kidney function, which causes symptoms such as reduced urine output and localized edema in the body. If hematuria occurs or uremia is suspected, a detailed examination at the hospital's urology or nephrology department is required promptly.

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How should uremia patients rest?

Adequate rest plays a very important role in the recovery of patients with uremia. If the condition of the uremia patient is in an acute phase, for example, if the patient feels palpitations, chest tightness, shortness of breath after activities, or even has obvious edema and high blood pressure, the patient should rest in bed and try to avoid getting out of bed. They should eat and take care of personal hygiene while in bed. If they feel chest tightness, they can also use oxygen. Once the condition of the uremia patient has stabilized, especially after undergoing hemodialysis treatment, and the symptoms of uremia have improved, they can rest out of bed and should ensure they get seven to eight hours of sleep daily. Only through sufficient sleep can the patient's mental state significantly improve. During the rest period, patients can also engage in appropriate recreational activities, such as outdoor walks, singing, and other activities.

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Precursors of uremia

The kidneys have a very strong compensatory ability. When kidney function is slightly impaired, they can generally still handle the basic physiological functions of the human body through compensation, so patients may feel that everything is normal. Despite the fact that the occurrence and development of uremia is a long and gradually worsening process, which can sometimes be very severe, it is still possible to detect early signs of uremia if one actively seeks them out early on. Early indications of uremia can be identified in time by going to the hospital for urine and blood tests. The early signs of uremia often manifest as general fatigue, which is the symptom most easily overlooked. Other symptoms of early uremia include edema, especially noticeable swelling of the eyelids and facial area after waking up in the morning. If it develops into systemic or persistent edema, the condition is already very serious. Additionally, early-stage uremia patients may also experience an increase in the frequency of nocturnal urination and more foam in the urine, as well as increased blood pressure, and even dizziness, headaches, and a lack of appetite. These are all early signs of uremia.

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Symptoms of pre-uremia

The pre-uremic stage is the period of chronic renal failure. During the pre-uremic stage, many patients may have no symptoms at all. However, some patients do experience many uncomfortable symptoms, such as back soreness and weakness, fatigue, and feeling cold easily. During this stage, patients may also experience nausea and vomiting, especially pronounced nausea after waking up in the morning, as well as weight loss. Some patients in the pre-uremic stage exhibit symptoms of edema, which can occur in the eyelids, facial area, or in both lower limbs. Additionally, patients may experience feeling cold, anemia, and an increased frequency of urination at night. Of course, some patients may also experience itching of the skin on both lower limbs.