Kidney failure - end-stage
End-stage
renal disease is the point at which the kidneys cannot sustain life any more
It
is a permanent condition
It is
treated with dialysis or a kidney transplant
What is
end-stage renal failure (ESRF)?
Also called end-stage renal disease, it is the point at which the
kidneys cannot sustain life any more. It is a permanent condition and the
patient is treated with dialysis or a kidney transplant. It usually follows
longstanding chronic renal failure but can sometimes be the result of acute
renal failure.
Symptoms
Symptoms are rare in the early stages of chronic renal failure with
most occurring when the disease is advanced. Symptoms can include lethargy,
weakness, unpleasant breath, pale itchy skin, shortness of breath, bone pain
nausea, vomiting, headache and confusion.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made when patients with chronic kidney failure develop
symptoms of ESRD and is confirmed by consistently high levels of certain blood
chemicals like urea and creatinine. The kidneys are invariably small on special
examination using sonar or special X-rays of the kidneys called tomograms. The
glomerular filtration rate measures kidney function and it is 10 to 15 percent
of what is expected in normal persons.
Treatment
Reversible factors such as dehydration and nephrotoxic drugs are
first excluded. ESRD is treated with dialysis until a suitable donor can be
found for a kidney transplant.
