Kidney Disease
Kidney Disease Describes a variety of disease and disorders that affect the kidneys. Most diseases of the kidney attack the filtering units of the kidneys—the nephrons—and damage their ability to eliminate wastes and excess fluids. When the kidneys fail, wastes and fluids accumulate in your body and you or your loved one need dialysis treatments (to clean the blood either by machine or in your abdomen), or a kidney transplant. Dialysis and kidney transplantation are known as Renal Replacement Therapies (RRT) because they attempt to "replace" the normal functioning of the kidneys.
Chronic kidney Disease (CKD) is defined as the presence of kidney damage, or a decreased level of kidney function, for a period of three months or more. CKD can be divided into five stages, depending on how severe the damage is to the kidneys, or the level of decrease in kidney function. Usually, kidney disease starts slowly and silently, and progresses over a number of years. Not everyone progresses from Stage 1 to Stage 5. Stage 5 is also known as End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). It may also be called end-stage renal failure. Diabetes and uncontrolled high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD.
Acute kidney failure occurs rapidly. This may be a result of injury, infection, or other causes. For acute kidney failure, dialysis treatment may be urgently needed for a period of time, but kidney function often recovers.
Adapted from: The Kidney Foundation of Canada, 2011
Information for caregivers :
Canada-wide
Canadian Transplant Support
The Kidney Foundation of Canada
The Kidney Foundation of Canada offers a patient-focused manual, Living with Kidney Disease, 4th ed., 2006, with information about major topics that may be useful to individuals and their families living with kidney disease. The manual is available in Chinese, Italian and Punjabi as well as English and French. An audio version is available in English and French for the visually impaired.