Like other vital organs, kidneys develop early during pregnancy. They can be visualized using ultrasound by the 14th to 16th week. According to the Cornell Department of Pediatric Urology, "the internal architecture of the kidneys" can be...
According to the National Kidney Foundation more than 26 million Americans -- one in nine adults -- have renal disease. Millions more people are at increased risk for the disease, and most don't know it. If the disease is found and treated early,...
As described by the Merck Manual and the Mayo Clinic, polycystic kidney disease is a hereditary disorder that results in multiple, various-sized and progressively enlarging benign cysts in both kidneys. Inheritance is most commonly autosomal...
After a diagnosis of renal disease, you must change your diet to account for the problems with your kidneys. In chronic kidney disease, the kidneys are unable to manage effectively potassium, phosphorus and sodium. Your kidneys are also unable to...
The kidneys act as one of the body's main waste processing plants, filtering about 200 quarts of blood each day, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders. A tumor in the kidney limits its ability to...
The American Heart Association reports that one in three adults suffers from high blood pressure, clinically known as hypertension. It is estimated that more than 56,000 people die from high blood pressure each year. Although the cause in the...
Renal failure damages the important functions of the kidneys. The kidneys regulate many aspects of the blood composition, including fluid levels, red blood cell counts and electrolyte balance. Phosphate and calcium levels are important...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence of kidney failure in 2004 was 349 per million population. This was an increase over the 261 per million population in 1994. The primary cause of kidney failure or renal...
Acute renal failure, or ARF, is a condition in which the kidneys become acutely unable to perform their normal functions. Typical causes of ARF include some medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, decreased blood supply to the...
There are two types of kidney failure. Chronic kidney failure occurs over a long period of time. The kidneys gradually lose the ability to filter wastes, toxins and excess fluids from the blood. Chronic kidney failure can be caused by a weakened...
To function properly, the body needs to keep acid and electrolyte levels within a relatively narrow range. Too much or too little acid can cause cells to malfunction, as can problems with potassium levels.
According to David Howes, M.D., writing in "Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine," urinary tract infections are the second most common type of infection in the United States. A healthy urinary tract has several important functions. It helps maintain a...
If you are living with chronic kidney disease your doctor or registered dietitian may advise you to follow a renal diet. A renal diet is low in three nutrients: potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Normal healthy kidneys filter excesses of these...
Acute renal failure is a medical emergency that occurs when there is a sudden drop in function involving both kidneys. Although most cases occur in patients who are already in the hospital for some other illness, some of the causes for otherwise...
A diagnosis of chronic renal failure, also called chronic kidney disease, means that the kidneys---paired organs that help rid the body of toxins and waste---are gradually losing the ability to function. Treatment may involve dialysis treatments...
The term "renal" refers to the pair of organs located near the middle of the back: the kidneys. These vital organs reprocess bloods and remove waste and excess water, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information...
Kidney stones, or urinary calculi, are solid particles that form in your urinary tract. About 80 percent of all urinary calculi in the U.S. contain calcium. Most are made of calcium oxalate. The remainder consist of calcium phosphate, uric acid,...
The kidneys are a pair of vital organs located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. They primarily filter waste from the blood and maintain salt and water balances in the body. Medullary cystic kidney disease is a type of kidney...
Your kidneys are the main organs that clear wastes from your bloodstream. When your health care provider gives you a diagnosis of kidney disease or renal insufficiency, the amount of potassium in your bloodstream is an important factor for your...
Rhabdomyolysis is a condition of rapid muscle breakdown. It can be caused by trauma, infections and medicines. The major complication of rhabdomyolysis is acute renal failure, in which the breakdown products of muscle cells, specifically a protein...
According to MedlinePlus, urinalysis is the medical examination of urine involving evaluation of the urine's color and appearance, observing the urine under a microscope and chemical analysis using a test strip called a dipstick. The presence of...
Most of the metabolism that is carried out in the body results in acids. Keeping a balance between acids and bases is one of the important jobs of the kidneys. If the kidneys do not restore balance, the blood will stay too acidic. This can lead to...
The most common type of kidney tumor in America is a renal cell carcinoma, and the number of cases has been increasing. As of 2007, there were approximately 51,000 cases and 8,000 deaths every year from renal cancer, according to David Swanson,...
The perineum is the area extending from the anus to the vaginal orifice in women and from the anus to the back of the scrotum in men. Rich in nerve endings, the strip of skin between the anus and testicles is an area in which men may feel...
High urine protein is called proteinuria. While transitory proteinuria is common, persistent proteinuria is a red flag for kidney disease. This symptom often lurks under the radar until it's revealed by a urine test, often performed in conjunction...
The kidneys are paired organs that produce certain hormones and filter waste, excess fluids and minerals from the blood. A diagnosis of kidney disease, or renal disease, means the kidneys are no longer functioning normally. When kidneys fail...
Type 2 diabetes can jeopardize physical well being, endanger economic security and challenge the ability to work and play. It affects not only the person with the disease but also his entire family. With sleep optimization, adherence to proven...
