The Facts
After the blood has circulated through the body, it passes into the kidneys.
The kidneys filter waste products and excess salt and water out of the blood,
and pass these out of the body as urine. The kidneys also make hormones that
control blood pressure, bone maintenance, and the production of red blood cells. It's a serious
problem when the kidneys stop working. Waste products that build up in the body
cause imbalances in chemicals needed to keep the body functioning smoothly.
There are many different types of kidney diseases. Kidney diseases can
lead to kidney failure, a condition in which the kidneys fail to work normally.
People with kidney failure need to receive dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Causes
The most common causes of kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries (which damages the blood vessels in the kidney). Some kidney diseases are caused by an inflammation of the kidneys, called nephritis. This may be due to an infection or to an autoimmune reaction where the body's immune or defense system attacks and damages the kidneys. Other kidney diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease are caused by problems with the shape or size of the kidneys (anatomic disorders) while other kidney diseases interfere with the inner workings of the kidneys (metabolic disorders). Most metabolic kidney disorders are rare, since they need to be inherited from both parents.
Other common causes of kidney failure include certain medications which can be toxic to kidney tissue, and blockages of the system that drains the kidneys (which can occur with prostate problems).
