Kidney Health and Nutrition

A diagnosis of renal disease means more doctor visits, medical visits, laboratory tests, various changes in diet and the risk of dialysis or a kidney transplant in the future if the disease progress far enough.

Diet and medication can keep this in, perhaps indefinitely, demonstrating that diet is very important in maintaining health. Listening to the advice of a nutritionist is very important for a patient at any stage renal disease. Sometimes this canslow or even halt the progression of the disease, but in some people, nothing they can do will prevent the disease becomes more serious.

Laboratory tests will be a constant need - and the urine of blood samples are often just the beginning. Kidney disease is a serious request, a port inserted into the body, so that samples can be prepared without the use of needles each time. The port can also be used to smuggle drugs into the body, but this measure also requires additionalpatient care or assistance from family members or even a nurse.

Here are some of the laboratory tests used for the treatment of kidney disease:

- Serum creatinine measurements of creatinine, a waste product produced by muscle activity. Normally, the kidneys remove the body, but can begin in blood vessels in patients with kidney disease. This is often an early sign of kidney problems.

- GFR or glomerular filtration rate is aoverall determination of how your kidneys are working. A GFR less than 30 is a problem that will require attention to a nephrologist or kidney specialist. A GFR less than 15 years is a serious problem, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed.

- BUN or blood urea nitrogen forms when the body breaks down proteins, either of food or normal metabolic processes. The kidneys normally filter wastes from the body, butWhen the kidneys fail, blood urea nitrogen levels rise. This can happen only when the patient eats too much protein. Too little protein can cause the level of BUN to fall.

- Protein in urine is the accumulation of protein in the urine of the patient. Some protein is necessary for your body to function - is an important macronutrient. The body uses protein for many functions, the kidneys and do the job of filtering and blood derivatives. When kidneys do not function properly, the protein begins to pick up the patient's urine. High, consistent and persistent level of protein in the urine is usually another sign of kidney damage or disease.

- Microalbuminuria is a test used in patients who are at high risk of kidney disease as those with high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease. This can detect small amounts of urine in the blood that most of the tests fail.

-> Protein creatinine ratio is a kind of shorthand. Often, the doctor takes a urine sample (24 hours), which gives an accurate measure of the amount of protein in the blood of patient during a given day. This test requires broad participation of the patient, requiring the collection and refrigeration of urine to take to the laboratory for analysis. The doctor can only measure the protein / creatinine, however, makingeasier for the patient and doctor.

- Serum albumin is a test measuring the protein albumin based on a vital protein in the body. The body uses protein from foods to create hormones, amino acids and enzymes that regulate all body functions. If the content of albumin in the blood is low, that usually means the patient is getting a little "amount of protein in the diet too much or too few calories. The human body can not store protein every day and needs new sources regularly. The lack ofalbumin in the blood can cause a range of health problems, including a reduced immune system.

- Protein nitrogen appearance (PNA) is a test to determine if the patient has enough protein in the diet or too much protein. This test requires blood and urine and, sometimes, a food log.

- EMS or subjective global assessment may be a request by the nutritionist, rather than the kidneys. This is used to look for signs of nutritionirregularities. First, there are questions about the patient's diet, then weight control is carried out and the control of fat and muscles of the face, arms, hands, shoulders and legs.

- Hemoglobin is a component of the blood lungs. 'S by the red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body. low hemoglobin is a condition known as anemia. Increase your intake of iron and certain hormone treat anemia.

- Hematocrit measuresthe number of blood cells of the body is doing.

- TSAT and serum ferritin measure the amount of iron in the body.

- Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is caused by an imbalance of phosphorus and calcium. PTH levels are very high which can lead to bone disease.

- Calcium is an important component of bone health. Leach Several types of calcium in the kidney disease blood levels must be controlled.

- The match can be dangerous and can weaken bonesif levels are too high. The doctor and dietitian may be necessary to reduce the number of patients in this mineral.

- Potassium is another mineral that can cause problems when they consume too much. While it is necessary to keep muscles, including the heart, excessive deterioration of the muscles and cause heart irregularities.

Patients with kidney disease often need a good source of protein low in fat and easy to digest.