Complications

The kidneys are the master chemists of the body. These smart organs thus impact almost every other organ system in one way or the other. The following list includes only some of the various functions your kidneys perform on a continuous basis:

• Regulate the composition of body fluids within a very narrow normal range
• Regulate blood pressure
• Regulate water excretion
• Regulate the degree of acidity of the body fluids
• Affect bone health through Vitamin D metabolism
• Produce hormones that stimulate the bone marrow to make red blood cells

When the kidneys are diseased due to various reasons, they can no longer perform all these functions, and multiple complications occur with progressive loss of kidney function. 

Unfortunately, CKD is a silent disease and hence there needs to be a high index of suspicion in high risk patients such as those with high blood pressure and diabetes. These complications start when the kidney function (eGFR on lab work) is less than 60 ml/min and worsen with progressive decline in kidney function.

Here is a list of some of the complications that can occur with CKD:

• Kidney related bone disease
• Anemia (low blood count) 
• Worsening of blood pressure control
• Swelling of the legs
• Difficulty with breathing 
• Congestive heart failure due to fluid overload

These complications should be actively looked for and treated in CKD in a timely manner or else the vicious cycle continues till the patient has multiple organ systems involved.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this case!