Kidney Failure Flashcards
What are the 3 most common causes of kidney failure?
diabetes mellitus (type 1 and 2 sugar diabetes), hypertension, infection
What happens to the body when the kidneys completely fail?
body unable to remove excess water and waste products from blood (urea and excess salts), unable to regulate water and salt levels in blood = rapid death
What is dialysis?
use of a partially permeable membrane to filter the blood
What is the dialysis membrane?
partially permeable, separates dialysis fluid from blood in dialysis machine,
What is dialysis fluid?
complex solution that matches the composition of body fluids
What happens in haemodialysis?
blood is taken from a vein and passed through a dialysis machine so that exchange can occur across artificial partially permeable membrane
What happens in peritoneal dialysis?
dialysis fluid is pumped into body cavity so that exchange can occur across the peritoneal membrane
What is the most common treatment for kidney failure?
dialysis, removes: wastes, excess fluid and salt from blood, must be combines with carefully monitored diet
What is added to avoid clotting in haemodialysis?
Heparin, any bubbles in blood removed before returning it to body
How often is haemodialysis completed?
usually at clinic 3 times a week for several hours but some patients can do it at home
What is the peritoneum?
body’s own abdominal membrane, surgeon implants permanent tube in abdomen: dialysis solution poured into to fill space between the abdominal wall and organs, used solution drained after several hours
How many times is peritoneal dialysis done?
several consecutive session daily at home or work, patient can walk around so called ambulatory PD
What happens in a kidney transplant?
old kidneys left in place unless cancerous or infection causing, kidney from living relative or dead donor, anaesthesia new organ into lower abdomen, attached to blood supply and bladder
What happens immediately after kidney transplant?
patients start to feel better, best life extending treatment for kidney failure but body’s immune system can reject new kidney as foreign object, given immunosuppressant to help prevent this
What are the advantages of kidney transplant?
no time consuming dialysis, diet less limited, feel better physically, better quality of life (able to travel), don’t see yourself as chronically ill
