Kidney Disease and Urology
Recently Answered
-
1 AnswerRegional Medical Center answeredKidney disease develops in many cases of diabetes. It takes a long time, sometimes 15 to 25 years, for this to happen; in the majority of diabetes cases, it never happens. Because the kidneys filter out toxic wastes from the body, kidney disease causes wastes to build up in the body. This results in damage to the kidney's blood vessels. Talk to you doctor about what you can do to lessen or prevent kidney disease while managing diabetes.
-
1 AnswerTaking an ace inhibitor or an angiotensin-receptor-blocking medication can help lower blood pressure. It also has specific effects on the kidney that protect the kidney from damage caused by diabetes. If you have kidney disease, it is important to control your blood pressure. The target for each person may vary but generally is less than 140/90.
-
1 AnswerJohns Hopkins Medicine answered
Diabetes insipidus is treated by administering vasopressin, a synthetic antidiuretic hormone (ADH), either by nasal spray or by injection. This helps to replace or supplement the body's natural ADH production. Such hormone therapy is usually necessary for a lifetime, unless diabetes insipidus was caused by head trauma or surgery. In these cases, hormone treatment may only be needed for a year or so.
Unfortunately, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus does not respond to normal ADH treatment. To treat nephrogenic diabetes insipidus— which results from a lack of kidney response to normal levels of ADH —your doctor may advise a low-salt diet to reduce thirst and slow the excretion of water. Certain diuretics may also be prescribed. You are also encouraged to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and consume plenty of high-fiber foods and fruit juices to prevent or treat constipation.
-
2 AnswersJohns Hopkins Medicine answeredSee All 2 Answers
Diabetes insipidus, not to be confused with the more common diabetes mellitus, is a relatively rare disorder resulting from a failure to produce sufficient amounts of vasopressin, otherwise known as antidiuretic hormone or ADH. Vasopressin, secreted by the posterior pituitary gland in the brain, helps your kidneys reabsorb water to maintain proper fluid balance. If the pituitary gland fails to produce enough ADH, water is not conserved properly. Instead, it is passed through the kidneys and excreted, typically in very large amounts.
More rarely, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus can occur. This is where the kidneys fail to respond properly to ADH.
The primary health risk associated with both diabetes insipidus and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is dehydration. Other symptoms may include:
Frequent and excessive urination. Output may be as high as 25 to 35 quarts within 24 hours and may be as frequent as every 30 minutes, even at night.
Extreme thirst
Dry skin
Constipation
Emergency symptoms of dehydration, including dizziness, weakness, and loss of consciousness.Diabetes insipidus affects both sexes equally. With proper treatment, the overall prognosis is a positive one.
-
1 AnswerRegional Medical Center answered
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is most often caused by a digestive tract infection that produces toxins that destroy your red blood cells. You become infected with bacteria, most commonly E. coli, which becomes stuck in your gastrointestinal tract, releasing a toxic substance into your blood. Once the toxins are in your blood they attack your red blood cells, causing them to be damaged. The damaged blood cells than get clogged while traveling to your organs. The organ most commonly affected by HUS is your kidney.
In adults, the cause of HUS is less understood. While HUS in adults may still be caused by a bacterial infection it has also been found to be caused by prescribed medications and autoimmune diseases.
-
1 AnswerRegional Medical Center answered
Your risk for hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) increases if you have a weakened immune system, like in young children or older adults. Small children are at increased risk because their immune system is not yet fully developed. HUS was once thought to be a disease that only affected children. However, it has been discovered that anyone with a compromised immune system is at increased risk. This includes the elderly, pregnant women, and those with certain illnesses that compromise their immune system, such as AIDS.
-
3 AnswersSee All 3 AnswersCystitis is inflammation of the bladder, says Victor Grigoriev, MD, a urologist at MountainView Hospital. In this video, he describes the causes of cystitis, which include urinary tract infection.
-
1 AnswerRegional Medical Center answered
The medical term for an inflamed bladder is cystitis, which is usually caused by bacteria in the bladder. A bladder infection is one type of urinary tract infection. Cystitis may be caused by drug reactions, a catheter, spermicides, or radiation therapy. Cystitis is most often treated with antibiotics.
-
3 AnswersRegional Medical Center answeredSee All 3 AnswersOne of the first signs or symptoms of diabetic kidney disease is the presence of a blood protein called albumin in the urine. The higher the concentration of albumin, the higher the amount of waste your body is retaining. High blood pressure can also develop as a result of diabetic kidney disease. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, have your urine and blood pressure tested regularly to check for kidney disease.
-
1 AnswerNational Kidney Foundation answeredAs your kidneys fail, your blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and blood creatinine levels will rise. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, a loss of appetite, weakness, increased fatigue, itching, muscle cramps (especially in your legs) and anemia (a low blood count). You may find you need less insulin if you have diabetes. This is because diseased kidneys cause less breakdown of insulin. If you develop any of these signs, call your doctor.