Kidney failure:

Kidneys are organs whose working capacity is much higher than the body’s normal needs (which explains why we can live normally with just one kidney). This allows them to compensate for the gradual loss of function. As a result, the symptoms of chronic kidney disease appear years after the onset: hematological symptoms appear when kidney capacity is reduced by 50%, and clinical symptoms appear when kidney capacity drops to 25% of normal. Therefore, without regular medical follow-up, chronic kidney disease is diagnosed late because the kidneys are already severely damaged by the disease.

What are the Symptoms and Complications?

Symptoms of Chronic Kidney

The symptoms of chronic kidney disease appear several years after the onset of the disease. They are not very characteristic:

1. abnormal fatigue on exertion ;
2. frequent urges to urinate;
3. dark, cloudy, frothy or scanty urine;
4. nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and weight;
5. muscle cramps, impatience in the legs
6. swelling of the feet, ankles and legs
7. persistent itching;
8. bad taste in the mouth and bad breath;
9. sleep disturbances and daytime drowsiness.of

Complications of Chronic Kidney Disease

Kidneys are organs whose working capacity is much higher than the body’s normal needs (which explains why we can live normally with just one kidney). This allows them to compensate for the gradual loss of function. As a result, the symptoms of chronic kidney disease appear years after the onset: hematological symptoms appear when kidney capacity is reduced by 50%, and clinical symptoms appear when kidney capacity drops to 25% of normal. Therefore, without regular medical follow-up, chronic kidney disease is diagnosed late because the kidneys are already severely damaged by the disease.

Complication due eo the loss of hormone secretion capacity

The kidneys are responsible for the secretion of a hormone, erythropoietin, which stimulates the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow. In chronic renal failure, the secretion of erythropoietin decreases and anemia sets in, causing fatigue and shortness of breath.

Chronic renal failure can also lead to blood clotting disorders (bleeding).

Reduced renin secretion from the kidneys can lead to high blood pressure (or worsening of pre-existing high blood pressure) and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and events (e.g., angina, stroke or myocardial infarction).

In addition, the kidneys also play a role in the metabolism of vitamin D. The loss of this capacity can aggravate bone fragility.

Finally, chronic renal failure tends to increase vulnerability to infectious diseases.