Kidneys are the organs that are responsible for removal of waste and toxic products from the body. When they fail, there is accumulation of those toxic wastes in the body. Causes of kidney failure include:
Diabetes – Too much glucose / sugar in the blood impairs the ability of the kidneys to filter waste products from the blood and pass it out through urine.
High blood pressure – This may damage the blood vessels in the kidneys. Lack of adequate blood supply to the kidney cells deprives them adequate oxygen and nutrients, thus affecting their functions.
Heart disease – With heart disease, the ability of the heart to pump blood to the organs of the body, including the kidneys, is impaired. Inadequate blood supply affects effective functioning of kidney cells.
Reduction in blood supply to the kidneys – This may be due to dehydration, burns, low blood pressure or excessive bleeding (from any source). Dehydration refers to shortage of water in the body which may be caused by inadequate drinking of water, excessive sweating, burns, vomiting, diarrhea etc. Excessive bleeding may result from trauma, menstrual disorder, pregnancy and childbirth etc. Any of these conditions may significantly reduce the blood volume, leading to reduction in blood supply to the kidneys and, consequently, the ability of the kidney cells to function well.
Blockage of urine flow – This may be caused by kidney stones, bladder stones or enlarged prostate gland in men. The backflow of urine to the kidneys, resulting from the blockage, may impair their ability to filter urine well.
Infection – This may affect the kidneys alone directly (pyelonephritis) or as part of the general infection of the body (sepsis). Either way, these infections affect the ability of the kidneys to function well. If not treated on time, they can cause permanent damage to the kidneys, with resultant effects on the body.
Cigarette smoking – The chemical contents of cigarette can damage the kidneys or make existing kidney disease deteriorate faster than usual.
Drugs – Kidneys help in eliminating drugs and their products from the body. Some drugs attack the kidney cells directly (e,g, gentamycin, anticancer drugs). When such drugs are taken for too long, they may irreversibly damage the cells of the kidneys.
Genetic conditions – These include polycystic ovary disease, nephrotic syndrome and auto-immune kidney diseases. Individuals with any of these conditions are born with high tendency of developing kidney failure.
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