Kidney Failure

What is kidney failure?

When the kidneys are unable to function effectively

What are two main causes of kidney failure?

Kidney infections and high blood pressure

How can kidney infections cause kidney failure?

Inflammation and swelling damage cells responsible for filtration and reabsorption

How can high blood pressure cause kidney failure?

It damages glomeruli capillaries causing proteins and blood to leak into urine

What can GFR indicate?

How effectively the kidneys are filtering blood

What does a low GFR indicate?

Less effective blood filtration

How can creatinine be used to estimate GFR?

A blood test measures creatinine levels which are used to estimate GFR

What can a high blood creatinine level indicate?

Kidney disease or poorly functioning kidneys

What happens to mineral ions during kidney failure?

They build up in the blood causing electrolyte and osmotic imbalances

What happens to urea during kidney failure?

It builds up in the blood and can poison cells

How can kidney failure cause high blood pressure?

Build up of substances and fluid imbalance can contribute to high blood pressure

What can high blood pressure caused by kidney failure lead to?

Heart problems and strokes

What happens to calcium and phosphorus balance during kidney failure?

The imbalance can weaken bones

What happens when abnormal proteins build up in the blood?

They can cause pain and stiffness in joints

How can kidney failure cause anaemia?

It can cause tiredness and lethargy

What is renal dialysis?

A process where a machine takes over the role of the kidneys to filter blood

What separates blood from dialysis fluid?

A semi-permeable membrane

What does dialysis fluid contain?

Normal plasma levels of mineral ions and glucose but no urea

Why does urea diffuse from blood into dialysis fluid?

There is no urea in the dialysis fluid

Why do mineral ions diffuse from dialysis fluid into blood?

Dialysis fluid contains normal plasma levels of mineral ions

Why does glucose diffuse from dialysis fluid into blood?

Dialysis fluid contains normal plasma levels of glucose

Why do blood cells and proteins remain in the blood during dialysis?

They are too large to pass through the semi-permeable membrane

What is haemodialysis?

A type of dialysis where blood leaves the body enters a dialysis machine and is returned after filtration

What is peritoneal dialysis?

A type of dialysis where the peritoneum acts as the exchange surface between blood and dialysis fluid

What is the peritoneum?

A membrane lining the abdominal cavity

How does peritoneal dialysis filter blood?

Dialysis fluid is injected into and drained from the abdominal cavity

What is an advantage of peritoneal dialysis?

It does not require specialist equipment

What is an advantage of haemodialysis?

It has a lower risk of infection

What is a disadvantage of peritoneal dialysis?

It has a higher risk of infection

What is a disadvantage of haemodialysis?

It requires specialist equipment and must be done in a hospital or medical centre

What is a kidney transplant?

The surgical introduction of a healthy donated kidney into a patient

What is an advantage of a kidney transplant?

There is no need for regular dialysis sessions

What is another advantage of a kidney transplant?

There is no need for dietary monitoring

How can a kidney transplant prevent long term damage?

It prevents waste products building up between dialysis sessions

What is another advantage of a kidney transplant?

It generally improves quality of life

What is a disadvantage of a kidney transplant?

There is a risk of organ rejection

Why can a transplanted kidney be rejected?

The immune system recognises donor antigens as foreign and attacks the organ

Why are there shortages of kidney transplants?

There are fewer donor kidneys available than needed

Why are immunosuppressant drugs given after a kidney transplant?

To reduce the risk of organ rejection

What is a disadvantage of immunosuppressant drugs?

They reduce the ability to respond effectively to infectious diseases

How can the risk of kidney rejection be reduced?

By closely matching donor and recipient antigens

Who can donate a kidney?

Living relatives or deceased individuals who have donated their organs

What is an advantage of a kidney transplant compared with dialysis costs?

It has a one off cost rather than several long term payments

What is a disadvantage of kidney transplant surgery?

It is major surgery with associated risks