Renal Failure, Essay Example

Introduction

The body is, without a doubt, nature’s most intricate piece of work. Whether one is asleep or at work, there are processes taking effect inside the brain which direct every other cell in a specific direction and with a specific task in mind. This is true no matter what organ system one is referring to, be it the cardiovascular system and the activities of blood and oxygen transport through the heart or perhaps with the renal system, where organs are responsible for clearing out toxins an individual has collected via digestion, inhalation, or some other method. Without these proper functioning organs inside the body, systems will fail and cause harm to the overall mechanism by which we have relied on to last us an entire lifetime.

Pathophysiology of the Disease Process

The renal system is made of the kidneys, ureters, urethra, and bladder. These all function together to produce and release urine, which is a waste product of the body. The main part of the renal system concerned when diagnosing renal disease or renal failure is the kidney (Campbell, 1996).

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs which are located in the posterior lower region on both the left and right sides of the body. They are important to us in many ways, some of which are extremely vital to life. As mentioned, the kidneys are directly responsible for the production of urine, which is a waste product of the body. The urine is also excreted through the renal system via the ureters, bladder, and finally the urethra, where it is voided.  The kidneys are also responsible for filtering sodium and chloride through a special system of tubules inside their inner medulla (Campbell, 1996).

A problem occurs in the renal system when the kidneys quit functioning at their full capacity.  Different reasons are blamed for this, but a few of them are outlined here. The first reason is Type II diabetes.  Due to increased glucose in the body, the glomeruli of the kidney can be damaged, thus affecting the kidney’s ability to filter toxins through the tubules and passing it on to the rest of the renal system.  Hypertension is another chronic primary condition which will damage the glomeruli over time and cause renal disease if the primary condition is not kept under control.  In addition to the main reasons discussed, kidney stones may also block passages in the renal system and over time cause the kidneys to become damaged and not function at their optimal capacity.  Medications can also cause problems, especially those used in the treatment of cancer, due to them being so harsh on the body in order to kill the intended cancerous cells (Weber, 1999). A person is considered to be at end stage renal disease when both kidneys have failed and there is less than twenty-five percent function. This chronic failure affects more than 260,000 Americans and at least 50,000 people will die from this disease every year because of complications and no further treatment options available to them (Weber, 1999).

Presentation of Patients With Disease

Most patients who suffer from renal failure are adults, mainly elderly, who have another primary condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or cancer (Porth, 2006).  They will present with such symptoms as anemia, hematuria, decreased mental alertness, decreased urine output, edema, fatigue, hypertension, insomnia, itchy skin, muscle cramps, muscle fatigue, nausea, pain in the kidney area, proteinuria, headaches, and unexplained changes in weight.  Not all patients will have all symptoms, but all patients will have several of these symptoms. Laboratory results will also show increased creatinine levels and blood urea nitrogen levels. Patients will also have an increased creatinine clearance, if one is tested, and will normally have protein and possibly blood in there as well (Porth, 2006).

Treatment of the Disease Process

Although there is no cure at present, there are treatments to help slow the progression of this disease. The patient will most likely be treated with an iron supplement for anemia due to the blood being passed from the urine when it is possible to void. Phosphate and vitamin D is also given to help balance any problems in the body and get the patient’s levels as normal as possible (Porth, 2006). This will help the patient to have the best function under the circumstances and will make treating the disease better during the beginning phases. Diuretics will most likely be given to keep the patient from having more fluid build inside the body. The patient will also be asked to restrict the amount of fluid he consumes so as to help naturally avoid this problem.

Once the patient passes through the beginning stages of renal failure and into the end stages, he will be put on a kidney transplant waiting list and will begin hemodialysis.  The dialysis process happens by way of a machine and is needed, on average, about three times per week.  A catheter is placed in one of the patient’s veins and, little by little, the patient’s blood is filtered out of his body and into the machine. It passes through a membrane where the toxins are filtered out and is returned back to the patient’s body. This process takes about three hours on average, and once the patient is in end stage renal failure the procedure must be done to avoid the buildup of toxins inside his body (Porth, 2006).

The last alternative is the kidney transplant. This is the best case scenario if the patient is otherwise healthy and young enough to live a productive life afterwards. The patient is matched with a donor patient on the basis of blood type, proteins in the tissues, and other factors, and a surgery is performed. Siblings are good candidates for successful transplants in many cases, but not always. Kidney transplants do not always work, but if they are successful, they significantly improve the quality of life for the person who was diagnosed with renal disease previously.

New Research in the Treatment of the Disease

There is a research technique scientists are studying in various parts of the world, including a group of scientist in Japan. Kurokawa et al (2002) reports a group of Japanese scientists experimenting with the creating of an artificial kidney or nephron from the growth of human cells. This pattern falls along the same line as stem cell research in cases such as spinal cord injury research and Parkinson’s disease research, but experts believe the embryonic cells or either the bone marrow stem cells can actually be selectively used in vitro to produce an artificial nephron or kidney, which could then possibly be used in a human transplant patient as an alternative to regular organ donation. Studies obviously have much to test in terms of procedure outcomes, side effects, long term benefits, costs, and ethical matters, but for the thousands of Americans who are suffering now from the beginning stages of renal disease and for the millions of Americans who will most likely be affected by this disease at some point in their lives, this could possibly be a promising start.

Conclusion

Renal disease is a condition which is only gaining in its notoriety among Americans. Primary conditions are not being controlled as they should and this has led to the renal system becoming damaged and unable to perform as needed. Once the disease process begins, there is no cure, only a change at keeping the progression a slow one and keeping the patient as healthy as possible for as long as possible. New advancements are coming our way; however, it will take time and money to implement these new procedures. The best thing patients and their families can do to keep themselves healthy and away from the dialysis chair is eat right, exercise, control any primary disease conditions, and live a happy life.

References

Campbell, N. (1996). Biology. Menlo Park, CA: Benjamin/Cummins Publishing Company, Inc.

Kurokawa, K, Nangaku, M, Saito, A, Inagi, R, & Miyata, T. (2002). Current issues and future perspectives of chronic renal failure. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 13, S3-S6.

Porth, C. (2006). Essentials of pathophysiology: concepts of altered health states. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Weber, K. (1999). Living with chronic kidney failure: Part I, an introduction. The Exceptional Parent, 29(2), 44-47.