The effects of Renal Disease / Kidney Disease, also known as Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD, usually begin with damage to a person’s kidneys and other parts of the body long before the person experiences any symptoms of the disease.
The longer the disease goes undetected and untreated, the more damage will be done. For this reason, patients at high risk for CKD should have their kidney function tested on a regular basis.
Renal / Kidney Disease Effects:
Heart Disease and Stroke
Even before you begin to feel it, Chronic Kidney Disease may affect the health of your heart. Your blood pressure may go up, due to the excess fluids in your blood and tissues, and this, in turn, will increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Anemia (too few red blood cells) is also caused by CKD and will put you at greater risk of death from either of these conditions.
Bone Loss and Fracture
Your bones are living tissue and are affected by many things, including the health of your kidneys. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) can weaken your bones and increase your risk of bone fractures (breaks). If you already have osteopenia (bone loss that may sometimes be reversed) or osteoporosis (bone loss that cannot be reversed), your kidney disease is likely to worsen these conditions.
Too Much Acid in your Blood
Healthy kidneys remove extra acids from your blood and get rid of them through your urine. When you develop Chronic Kidney Disease, your kidneys may let the acid level of your blood become too high. This is known as Metabolic Acidosis, which can cause further damage to your kidneys, harm your bones, and increase your risk of death.