Dialysis is a procedure that performs many of the normal duties of the kidneys, like filtering waste products from the blood, when the kidneys no longer work adequately. There are two types of dialysis: Hemodialysis uses a filter to remove waste products and water from the body; and peritoneal dialysis removes excess waste and fluid with a fluid that is placed into the patient's stomach cavity through a special plastic tube. Read more: Dialysis Article
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Kidney Disease Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
Kidney disease is common. Take this kidney disease quiz to test your knowledge and learn the symptoms, causes and types of kidney...
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Picture of Kidneys
The kidneys are a pair of organs located in the back of the abdomen. See a picture of the Kidneys and learn more about the health...
QUESTION
The only purpose of the kidneys is to filter blood. See AnswerRelated Disease Conditions
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Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include: ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease. ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure cap: Capsule. CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea. DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis. DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes HA: Headache IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis JT: Joint N/V: Nausea or vomiting. p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os. q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily. RA: Rheumatoid arthritis SOB: Shortness of breath. T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
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Kidney (Renal) Failure
Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss, dehydration, or medication. Some of the renal causes of kidney failure include sepsis, medications, rhabdomyolysis, multiple myeloma, and acute glomerulonephritis. Post renal causes of kidney failure include bladder obstruction, prostate problems, tumors, or kidney stones.Treatment options included diet, medications, or dialysis.
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Thrombocytopenia (Low Platelet Count)
Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) refers to a decreased number of platelets in the blood. Symptoms of thrombocytopenia include: Increased bruising Spontaneous bleeding Small, purple spots under the skin called purpura There are many causes of thrombocytopenia such as decreased platelet production (viral infections for example rubella, mumps, chickenpox, hepatitis C, and HIV); increased platelet destruction or consumption (for example sulfonamide antibiotics, heparin, blood transfusions, and lupus); or increased splenic sequestration (enlarged spleen due to conditions, for example, liver disease, blood cancers, and more). Treatment of thrombocytopenia depends on the cause.
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Encephalopathy
Encephalopathy refers to brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Learn about what causes encephalopathy as well as types, symptoms, stages, and treatment.
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Sepsis (Blood Poisoning)
Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a potentially deadly infection with signs and symptoms that include elevated heart rate, low or high temperature, rapid breathing and/or a white blood cell count that is too high or too low and has more than 10% band cells. Most cases of sepsis are caused by bacterial infections, and some cases are caused by fungal infections. Treatment requires hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and therapy to treat any organ dysfunction.
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Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include severe burns, muscle trauma, coma, seizures, electrolyte imbalance, medications (statins), viruses, and bacteria. Treatment of rhabdomyolysis depends on the cause.
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Kidney Angiomyolipoma
Angiomyolipomas are noncancerous tumors that are typically found in the kidney, but may occur in the liver, ovary, colon, or Fallopian tube. Symptoms and signs include shock, chronic kidney disease, anemia, vomiting, nausea, and back or flank pain. Treatment may involve taking medication and embolization of the tumor.
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Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE)
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of body tissues caused by autoimmune disease. Lupus can cause disease of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous system. When only the skin is involved, the condition is called discoid lupus. When internal organs are involved, the condition is called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes chronic inflammation of the spine. The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically inherited. Treatment incorporates medications, physical therapy, and exercise.
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Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a disease transmitted by rodents. Symptoms include fever and muscle pain. HPS can be prevented by sealing up rodent entry holes, trapping rats and mice with an appropriate snap trap, and cleaning up rodent food sources.
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E. coli (0157:H7) Infection
There are many types of E. coli (Escherichia coli). E. coli can cause urinary tract and bladder infections, or lead to sepsis. E coli O157:H7 (EHEC) causes bloody diarrhea and colitis. Complications of E. coli infection include hemorrhagic diarrhea, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. E coli O157:H7 commonly is due to eating raw or undercooked hamburger or raw milk or dairy products.
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Arsenic Poisoning
Arsenic comes in two forms, inorganic and organic. Organic arsenic poisoning is usually not poisonous to humans; however, inorganic arsenic in large enough amounts can lead to shock and death. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, dark urine, vertigo, delirium, shock, and death. Treatment for arsenic poisoning includes Hemodialysis and a variety of drugs.
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What Is the Difference Between Hemodialysis and Dialysis?
Dialysis is a procedure that helps your blood get filtered by a machine that works like an artificial kidney. Hemodialysis is a procedure where your entire blood is circulated outside your body in a machine placed outside the body known as a dialyzer. Peritoneal dialysis helps filter the blood in the body itself.
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Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels)
Hypercalcemia is a condition in which calcium levels in the blood are elevated. Hypercalcemia is associated with other conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney failure, and elevated levels of vitamin D. Symptoms of hypercalcemia include constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, and kidney stones. Treatment depends on the cause of hypercalcemia.
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Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), ARPKD, and ADPKD
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by numerous cysts in the kidneys. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder. There are two major inherited forms of PKD, autosomal dominant PKD, and autosomal recessive PKD. Symptoms include headaches, urinary tract infections, blood in the urine, liver and pancreatic cysts, abnormal heart valves, high blood pressure, kidney stones, aneurysms, and diverticulosis. Diagnosis of PKD is generally with ultrasound, CT or MRI scan. There is no cure for PKD, so treatment of symptoms is usually the general protocol.
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Hyperparathyroidism
Hyperparathyroidism is a disorder of the parathyroid glands. There are two types of hyperparathyroidism, primary and secondary. When the parathyroid glands produce too much hormone, hyperparathyroidism is the resulting condition. Most cases of hyperparathyroidism have no evident cause. Signs and symptoms of hyperparathyroidism include fatigue, weakness, depression, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or confusion. Increased calcium and phosphorous excretion may cause kidney stones. The main treatment of hyperparathyroidism is surgery (parathyroidectomy).
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Kidney Cancer
There are several types of kidney cancer, including renal cell cancer (renal adenocarcinoma or hypernephroma), transitional cell carcinoma, and Wilms tumor. Symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, an abdominal lump or mass, chronic pain in the side, and tiredness. Treatment of kidney cancer -- which may include surgery, arterial embolization, radiation therapy, biological therapy or chemotherapy -- depends upon the stage of the disease and the patient's overall health.
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Hypertensive Kidney Disease
High blood pressure can damage the kidneys and is one of the leading causes of kidney failure (end-stage renal kidney disease). Kidney damage, like hypertension, can be unnoticeable and detected only through medical tests. If you have kidney disease, you should control your blood pressure. Other treatment options include prescription medications.
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Diabetes and Kidney Disease
In the United States diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. High blood pressure and high levels of blood glucose increase the risk that a person with diabetes will eventually progress to kidney failure. Kidney disease in people with diabetes develops over the course of many years. albumin and eGFR are two key markers for kidney disease in people with diabetes. Controlling high blood pressure, blood pressure medications, a moderate protein diet, and compliant management of blood glucose can slow the progression of kidney disease. For those patients who's kidneys eventually fail, dialysis or kidney transplantation is the only option.
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Renal Osteodystrophy
Renal osteodystrophy is a bone disease. The kidneys fail to maintain required levels of phosphorous and calcium in the blood. Renal osteodystrophy is common in patients with kidney disease and affects dialysis patients. Diagnosis is performed with a blood sample, and in some cases a bone biopsy. Medication is the general treatment for renal osteodystrophy.
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Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is an infection caused by Streptococcus or Staphylococcus. Toxic shock syndrome symptoms include low blood pressure, fever, and a rash with peeling skin. Treatment involves IV fluids to treat the shock, IV antibiotics, cleaning infected wounds, and hospitalization in the intensive care for other assorted treatments.
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Fabry Disease
Fabry disease (Fabry's disease, alpha-galactosidase-A) is a genetic disorder with symptoms such as burning sensations in the hands, small-raised reddish-purplish blemishes on the skin, fever, decreases sweating, and gastrointestinal (GI) difficulties. Fabry disease patients are at increased risk of heart attack, heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke. Symptoms of Fabry disease can be treated with medication.
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Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Superior vena cava syndrome is compression of the superior vena cava vein located in the upper chest. Causes of superior vena cava include lung cancer, lymphoma, other cancers in the chest, blood clots in the superior vena cava, or infection. Symptoms of the syndrome include shortness of breath. Superior vena cava syndrome is diagnosed by ultrasound, chest X-ray, CT scan, and in some cases biopsy. Treatment depends upon the cause of the syndrome.
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Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a diseases in which blood clots within the capillaries. Causes associated with HUS include: E. coli, birth control pills, pneumonia, medications such as chemotherapy, Ticlid, and quinine. Symptoms of HUS include: gastroenteritis, abdominal cramping, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. Diagnosis of HUS includes: medical history, physical examination, and medical tests. Treatment includes: rest, fluids, possible hospitalization for blood transfusion or complications due to kidney failure.
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Kidney Dysplasia: In Infants and Children
Kidney dysplasia is a condition in which one or both of a baby's kidneys do not develop normally. In kidney dysplasia, cysts replace normal kidney tissue. Signs of kidney dysplasia include enlarged kidneys and, rarely, high blood pressure. A child with kidney dysplasia may not have any symptoms. Genes and maternal exposure to certain drugs may cause kidney dysplasia. Regular checkups should include blood pressure measurements, kidney function tests, and urine testing for protein.
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Cystinuria
Cystinuria is a common genetic condition that causes excess buildup of the cystine protein in the urine. Cystinuria leads to the formation of stones in the bladder, ureter, and kidney. Signs and symptoms of cystinuria include hematuria, flank pain, renal colic, obstructive uropathy, and urinary tract infections. Cystinuria may be treated with medication, shock wave therapy, and by increasing fluid intake.
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What Is IgA Nephropathy (Berger's Disease)?
Berger's disease or immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is a kidney disorder that presents with the passing of blood in the urine. This happens due to swelling of the glomeruli (filtering units of the kidney that produce urine). The swelling is usually caused due to a buildup of a substance called IgA in the kidneys.
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Affordable Care Act (ACA)
President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law on Mar. 23, 2010. The Affordable Care Act aims to control health-care costs, improve how health care is delivered, and reduce the number of uninsured individuals.
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
- albumin human (Albuked, Albuminar)
- folic acid (folate, vitamin B9, FA-8, Folacin, Folic Acid, GNC Folic Acid 400, and many more)
- calcitriol - injection, Calcijex
- levocarnitine (Carnitor)
- calcium acetate (PhosLo)
- levocarnitine - injection, Carnitor
- sevelamer - oral, Renagel, Renvela
- Albuminar (albumin) Side Effects, Warnings, and Drug Interactions
Prevention & Wellness
- Medicare's Penalties for Poor-Quality Dialysis Centers Aren't Helping: Study
- Dialysis Patients Have Weaker Response to COVID Vaccine: Study
- Cycling During Dialysis? It Might Help Patients
- Early Dialysis Doesn't Improve Outcomes With Acute Kidney Failure
- Should You Keep Using Dialysis Center Networks During COVID-19?
- Should I Still Do Dialysis With Coronavirus?
- Half of Older Dialysis Patients Die Within a Year, Study Finds
- Lab-Grown Blood Vessels Could Be Big Medical Advance
- Common Heartburn Drugs Linked to Broken Hips in Dialysis Patients
- Health Tip: Maintain a Healthy Heart While on Dialysis
- Dialysis Linked to Dementia in Seniors
- Fewer Dialysis Patients Facing Leg Amputations
- Hepatitis-Infected Kidneys May Be Safe New Option for Transplant
- Kidney Docs Worry Over No Dialysis for Undocumented Immigrants
- Dialysis Patients Often End Up Back in the Hospital
- Health Tip: Making End-of-Life Wishes Known
- Addictive Opioids Common for People on Dialysis
- Selena Gomez's Kidney Transplant Puts Lupus Center Stage
- Novel Procedure Improves Kidney Transplant Success
- Drug for Kidney Disease Tied to Infection Risk
- Donor Kidneys Rejected by Centers 7 Times on Average
- Thyroid Problems May Make Things Worse for Dialysis Patients
- Are Doctors Discarding Donor Kidneys That Could Save Lives?
- Catheters Often to Blame for Blood Infections After Dialysis
- 1 in 7 Americans Has Kidney Disease: CDC
- Many Dialysis Patients Get Unnecessary Colonoscopies
- Sickle Cell Trait Tied to Higher Kidney Failure Risk for Blacks
- Cutting Salt a Health Boost for Kidney Patients
- Undocumented Immigrants Often Face Tough Health Care Choices
- Depression Often Untreated in Dialysis Patients
- For Kids With Kidney Disease, Race May Play Role in Outcomes
- Dialysis Patients May Walk Their Way to Better Health
- Concern About Dialysis Safety Spurs CDC Action
- Hearing Loss Widespread, 'Progressive' in Older Americans
- Fruits, Veggies Powerful Rx for Kidney Disease: Study
- Cancer Patients, Doctors Often Disagree About Prognosis
- Too Much Red Meat Might Harm Kidneys, Study Suggests
- Coming Soon: A Wearable Artificial Kidney?
- Smoking Harms Black Americans' Kidneys, Study Suggests
- High-Salt Diets May Raise Heart Risks for Kidney Patients
- Cancer History May Affect Survival After Organ Transplant
- Medicare Spends Billions on Chronic Kidney Disease, Study Finds
- Paying for Kidneys Might Boost Donor Rate, Study Says
- Kidney Dialysis Might Not Extend Survival of Elderly
- Transplant From Incompatible Living Donor Boosts Kidney Patients' Survival
- Hepatitis C Reported at 19 Dialysis Clinics: CDC
- Online Tool Helps Predict Chances of Kidney Failure, Study Finds
- Kidney Woes Tied to Raised Cancer Risk, Study Finds
- Kidney Transplant 'Tourism' Comes With Risks: Study
- Kidney Disease Rates Have Stabilized in U.S., Study Finds
- Do Taller Patients Fare Worse on Dialysis?
- Too Few Kidney Dialysis Patients Referred for Organ Transplant, Study Finds
- Cooling Bodies of Brain-Dead Donors May Boost Kidney Function After Transplant
- Dialysis Patients May Be Unprepared for Natural Disasters
- New Drug May Help Diabetic Kidney Disease Patients
- U.S. Dialysis Patients Increasingly Live in Poor Areas
- Genes May Be Tied to Cardiac Arrest Risk in Dialysis Patients
- Kidney Patients Living Longer on Dialysis, Study Shows
- Kidney Dialysis Increasing for Pregnant Women
- Millions of Kidney Failure Patients Die for Lack of Treatment: Study
- Some Injured Kidneys May Be OK for Transplant, Study Finds
- First Device Approved for Dialysis-Related Amyloidosis
- Meat-Heavy, High-Acid Diet Poses Risk for Those With Kidney Disease: Study
- Kidneys From HIV Donors May Be OK for HIV Patients, Study Finds
- Are Too Many Heart Failure Patients Getting IV Fluids?
- 1 in 5 Younger Diabetics Lacks Good Medical Care, Study Says
- Some With Kidney Stones Might Have Calcium Buildup in Blood Vessels: Study
- Kidney Disease Treatment May Be Improving, Study Suggests
- New U.S. Kidney Transplant Rules Take Effect
- Study Supports Giving Kidney Donors Priority When They Need a Kidney
- Sleep Apnea Linked to Kidney Disease Progression in Diabetics
- Many Dialysis Patients Ill-Prepared for Emergencies, Study Says
- Women Less Likely to Get Kidney Dialysis Than Men, Study Finds
- Where Ebola Battles Are Won
- Esbriet, Ofev Approved to Treat Deadly Lung Disease
- Texas Hospital Worker Tests Positive for Ebola
- Dallas Ebola Patient on Ventilator, Getting Dialysis
- Dallas Ebola Patient Has Died, Hospital Says
- Aerobic Exercise May Boost Quality of Life for Dialysis Patients
- 'Biospleen' Suggests New Way to Treat Blood Infection
- Injected Substance Used With CT Scans Seems Safe for Kidneys: Study
- Popular Southern Fare May Harm Your Kidneys
- Younger Blacks on Dialysis Fare Worse in Poor Neighborhoods: Study
- Kidney Transplant Beats Intensive Dialysis, Study Says
- New Dialysis Machine Treats Tiniest of Newborns
- Walking Could Be Key Step Against Kidney Disease
- More Muscle May Help Kidney Dialysis Patients
- Muscle Weakness May Persist for Months After ICU Stay
- Kidney Injury During Surgery Tied to Risk of Heart Problems
- Health Tip: Need Extra Iron?
- Most Women on Kidney Dialysis OK With Their Sex Lives: Study
- Common Blood Pressure Meds May Cut Risk of Early Death in Kidney Patients: Study
- Upping Vegetable Protein Intake May Help People With Kidney Disease
- Kidney Patients May Gain From Less Salt
- Don't Routinely Test for Kidney Disease in Those Without Symptoms: Experts
- Study Sees Link Between Psoriasis, Kidney Problems
- For Dialysis Patients, It Was a Honey of An Idea
- CDC Sounds Alarm on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
- Hospital-Acquired Infections Cost $10 Billion a Year: Study
- Health Reporter Nearly Killed by Food Poisoning
- Baby Boomers Need Hepatitis C Test, CDC Study Confirms
- Kidney Dialysis Patients May Fare Better When Docs Have Lighter Caseloads
- Black Medicaid Recipients Less Likely to Get Living-Donor Kidney: Study
- Iron Dosing Tricky for Dialysis Patients: Study
- CDC Guidelines Could Cut Bloodstream Infections From Dialysis
- Death Rate Dropping for Children on Dialysis: Study
- 'Off-the-Shelf' Artificial Blood Vessels Show Promise
- Racial Gap Seen in Survival Among Kidney Dialysis Patients
- Ultrasound Allows Early Detection of Fluid in Dialysis Patients' Lungs
- Fraudulent Data May Have Led to Use of Risky Treatment in ICUs
- 16 Cases of Kidney Damage in 6 States From Synthetic Pot: CDC
- Synthetic Marijuana Use Linked to Kidney Damage
- Daily Dialysis Has Risks, Benefits for Kidney Disease Patients
- Common Painkillers Tied to Kidney Risks for Children: Study
- Acute Kidney Injuries Up Sharply in U.S.
- U.S. Task Force: Baby Boomers Should Be Tested for Hepatitis C
- Reduced Kidney Function Tied to Mental Decline
- Adult Kidney Failure Tied to Excess Weight as Teen
- New West Nile Threat: Kidney Disease
- CDC: All Baby Boomers Should Get Screened for Hepatitis C
- Effects of High Blood Pressure Drug May Mimic Celiac Disease
- Weight-Loss Surgery May Improve Diabetes-Related Kidney Damage
- High Rates of Untreated Kidney Failure Seen in Elderly
- More Families Seek Kidney Donations on Facebook
- Routine Kidney Disease Screening Not Worthwhile, Experts Say
- Donor Kidney Re-Used in Second Patient After Failing in First
- Role of Screening, Monitoring in Early Kidney Disease Unclear
- Women on Dialysis May Experience Sexual Problems: Survey
- Physician Groups Call for Fewer Medical Tests
- Omontys Approved for Anemic People With Kidney Disease
- U.S. Underestimates Long-Term Costs of Obesity, Experts Say
- More Kidney Dialysis Is Better, Research Finds
- Novel Hepatitis C Vaccine Shows Some Early Promise
- Few With Acute Kidney Injury See Specialists, Study Finds
- Too Much Acetaminophen Over Time May Damage Liver
- Racial Disparities Still Exist for Kidney Recipients, Study Finds
- Health Highlights: Oct. 19, 2011
- FDA: Osteoporosis Drug Reclast Ups Kidney Failure Risk
- FDA: New Warning for Procrit, Epogen, Aranesp
- Energy Drink-Vodka Combo Nearly Kills Teen
- FAQ: How Government Shutdown Affects Your Health
- Study: African-Americans Live Longer After Stroke
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