About Kidney Health

Summary kidney health

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What Are Kidneys and What Do They Do?

  • Kidneys are bean-shaped organs that filter blood, remove waste, and produce urine.
  • Each kidney contains ~1 million filtering units called nephrons.
  • Kidneys help regulate blood pressure, support bone health, balance fluids, and produce important hormones (like EPO for red blood cells and Klotho for anti-aging).

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

  • CKD is long-term kidney damage or reduced function, often caused by diabetes or high blood pressure.
  • Early stages show no symptoms; testing urine for albuminuria and blood for creatinine/GFR helps detect it early.
  • CKD leads to faster aging, fatigue, heart problems, and may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

CKD Progression and Stages

  • CKD progresses in 5 stages based on GFR and albuminuria.
  • Once kidney function drops below 10–15%, Kidney Replacement Therapy (KRT) is usually needed.

Kidney Replacement Options

  • Transplantation is the best option, offering better quality and length of life.
  • Dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal) replaces part of kidney function but is time-consuming and impacts quality of life.
  • Conservative Care may be chosen for frail or elderly patients, focusing on comfort.

Treatment and Medication

  • Early use of medications like ACE inhibitors, ARBs, SGLT2 inhibitors, and GLP1 receptor agonists can slow CKD progression.
  • These drugs also protect the heart and blood vessels.

CKD and Other Conditions

  • CKD often coexists with other diseases (called comorbidities), especially heart disease and diabetes.
  • The Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic Syndrome refers to the tight link between kidney, heart, and metabolic health.

Impact and Outlook

  • CKD is a growing global health concern, affecting 10% of people, especially the elderly.
  • It’s often called a “silent epidemic” because symptoms appear late.
  • By 2040, CKD may become the 5th leading cause of death globally.

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