Chronic Kidney Disease, Article Critique Example

The chronic kidney disease, CKD is a condition with common occurrence with high prevalence rates among the elderly people in the society. In most cases, patients at the early stages of the disease encounters problems associated with loss of proper functioning of the kidney. The disease is also associated with increased risk of cardiovascular problems as well as chronic failures in renal organs. Kidney disease is a potential killer disease. It is associated with long lasting damages to human kidneys and as time progresses, it becomes worse. Extreme cases of chronic kidney disease lead to permanent failure in the functioning of the kidneys, a condition that is termed as kidney failure (Atkinson, Pierce & Zack, 2010). A condition of kidney failure leads to the need of dialysis or transplant kidney if the victim has to continue living. The victim may also require electrolyte as well as fluid management and anemia erythropoietin.  The symptoms of chronic kidney disease are only evident at advanced stages of the disease. It is therefore recommended that, people take tests to ascertain the proper functioning of their kidneys. Chronic kidney disease is commonly manifested as hyperparathyroidism.

There is a slow progression of chronic kidney disease which later manifests as nausea, dysgeusia, feelings of fatigue, under nutrition, retention of water, anorexia,  stomatitis, nocturia, lassitude,  pruritus, low level of mental acuity, muscle twitches along with cramps, vomiting, peripheral neuropathies as well as seizures (Atkinson, Pierce & Zack, 2010). The only viable diagnosis involves laboratory tests to determine the extent of renal fucionality which may also be accompanied by conducting renal biopsy. the common effects that are associated with chronic kidney disease are metabolic acidosis, hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia,  anemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism as well as renal osteodystrophy.

Reference

Atkinson, M.A, Pierce, C.B & Zack, R. M., (2010). Hemoglobin differences by race in children with CKD. Am J Kidney Dis. 55(6):1009-17.