1. Kidney Diseases

2. Background Information on Kidney Diseases
The kidneys are affected when other systems break down, and surprisingly, kidney dysfunction also affects other systems.
Kidney disorders can usually be detected by urinalysis.
Urinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine.

3. What Is A Kidney Stone?
a small hard mass made of salts and minerals that lodge into the kidney
(see reading)

4. Causes of Kidney Stones
In cystinuria, an excess of the amino acid cysteine, which does not dissolve in urine, is voided (leads to the formation of cystine stones).
In hyperoxularia, the body produces an excess of the salt oxalate. When the oxalate can’t be dissolved in urine, then the salt crystals build up and form stones.
In hypercalciuria, an excess of calcium absorbed from food can create crystals of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate in the kidneys or in the urinary tract.
Other causes of kidney stones are hyperuricosuria (excretion of excessive uric acid in urine) and an excess intake of vitamin D.

5. Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes Mellitus:
Caused by inadequate secretion (not enough) of insulin from the islet cells in the pancreas.
Excess sugar remains in the nephron, because there is a high blood sugar concentration.
Patients with diabetes mellitus can suffer from nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain, along with excessive thirst and urination and dehydration.

6. Diabetes Insipidus
Diabetes insipidus is caused by the destruction of ADH-producing cells in the hypothalamus.
If there is no ADH to control the constant absorption of water, then a person with this disease produces large amounts of dilute urine.

7. Bright’s Disease (Nephritis)
Bright’s disease is caused by the inflammation of nephrons.
The inflammation of nephrons takes place when microbes form toxins that destroy blood vessels, causing the nephrons to become less permeable.
Consequently, proteins remain in the nephron and absorb water into the nephron (through an osmotic pressure).
Urine volume contains a high amount of protein.
Person may suffer from headaches, vomiting, fever and edema (slight swelling of the face and hands).

8. Kidney Transplantation
factors determine whether or not the donor’s kidney is compatible for the recipient:
Blood type: The blood type (A, B, AB, or O) of the patient and donor must match.
HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) factors: HLA is a genetic marker on the surface of white blood cells. The more antigens that there are, the better the chance that the patient’s kidney will last.
Posttransplant Care:
Kidney rejection may take place if the patient’s immune system senses that the kidney is foreign.
The symptoms of rejection are fever, soreness in the area of the new kidney, and a change in the amount of urine that the patient produces.
Symptoms of Immunosuppresants:
Immunosuppresants can weaken the immune system, increasing the patient’s risk of developing cancer.
Change in physical appearance (weight gain, acne, facial hair).