What are the conditions that make the kidney function abnormally?

• Diabetes
• Polycystic kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• Severe glomerulonephritis  – a condition where the glomeruli (very small filters) within the kidneys are inflamed and, over time, scarred

What are the symptoms that bring concerns?

• Urinating nearly all the time
• Difficulty in beginning urination
• Experiencing pain while urinating
• Traces of blood in the urine
• Fever with chills and a shivering response
• Swollen feet and hands because of too much fluid in the body

What is a kidney function test?

The ability of the kidney to filter and cleanse the blood of different waste like acids, creatinine, urea and more that measure by glomerular filtration rate. The kidney function test seeks to measure how fast or slow the kidney gets at discharging this function.

Some tests embroiled in the test for kidney function:

Urine test

Along urine routine micrcscopy this test emphasises on identifying blood or protein traces in urine Normally, healthy kidneys can keep protein because of their large molecular size. Still, when they go bad, they can no longer do so. This protein seeps into the urine excrete – a condition called proteinuria. To measure the quantity of protein seeping into the kidney, other common tests are done like the spot urine protein/creatinine ratio; and 24-hour urine protein excretion – this is the gold standard for testing. The glomerulus is the protective structure that does the function of filtering in the kidney. A dysfunctional kidney cannot keep the body’s red blood cells, so they leave the body via urine – a condition called hematuria.

• Glomerular filtration rate (GFR). When the GFR calculated is < 60 millilitres/minute/1.73m2, it shows a serious disease in the kidney. When it gets to stage 3 and beyond, it signifies a serious kidney malfunction. This rate is calculate using the 24-hour urine creatinine clearance. It is a gold standard routine test done in standard laboratories or via radioisotope imaging studies such as a DTPA scan.

Blood tests

• Serum creatinine. The metabolism of the muscle leaves behind a byproduct called creatinine. This creatinine is among the waste products the kidneys must free the body of. Where the kidney has diseases, one of them no longer can remove creatinine from the body. Consequently, more creatinine remains in the body (>1mg/dl). As a result of this increased level, the body begins to experience unfavourable effects characterised by symptoms including general body itching, low appetite, vomiting, nausea, weakness, etc. One very critical indicator of kidney disease in the body is serum creatinine.
• Blood urea nitrogen. The typical range is between 7 to 20 mg/dl. This test gives the quantity of blood nitrogen. Blood nitrogen is a byproduct that release from the metabolism of protein. When there is kidney disease, the level of this substance typically increases however, other conditions could raise blood nitrogen: the use of certain antibiotics, meds such as aspirin, and some supplements.

How to help kidney function properly

You can adopt certain changes in your lifestyle, and the kind of food you eat and the kidney will perform much better.

Diet tips

• Reduce your consumption of high fatty and sugary foods
• Eat five servings of fruits and veggies daily
• Eat a diet low in salt
• Drink plenty of water to ensure your body is sufficiently hydrate and take a minimum of 2.5 L of fluids in a day

Lifestyle tips

• Keep an eye on and manage your levels of blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol
• Keep a healthy body weight
• Do well to keep your body physically active for a minimum of half an hour daily through swimming, lifting light weights, cycling and walking

Conclusion

Identifying and being aware of the signs and symptoms of kidney dysfunction and going for treatment early on will keep the condition less severe and make the solution mild and cheap. You can monitor kidney problems with a blood test like we have discussed. Late detection of kidney issues can bring about complex treatment like dialysis, kidney transplant and, in worse cases, loss of life.

Reach out to us today for a kidney function test in London.

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