New Orleans Nephrology Clinic
YOUR KIDNEYS AND HOW THEY WORK
Most people are born with two kidneys. They are located in the small of your back, behind your abdominal organs. They are on both sides of the spine and shaped like kidney beans. They are about the size of a tightened fist and weigh about a quarter pound each. They perform many important functions.
Your kidneys are made up of a millions of tiny filters. You blood goes through these filters to be cleaned. Your kidneys are important to removing waste products and excess fluid in your body by excreting it through urine. Your kidneys also regulates hormones that control blood pressure, makes red blood cells, and prevents bone disease. Your kidneys keep your body in balance by regulating the appropriate amounts of salts and chemicals in your body.
KIDNEY FAILURE
If both kidneys decrease their work or stop working for any reason, this is called "kidney failure". When the filters in the kidneys are damaged and become less able to perform their job, waste products build up in the bloodstream (uremia) and essential proteins may be lost in your urine. Your body may also lose its ability to regulate blood pressure, balance your body's fluids, control the production of blood, control how calcium is used in the body, and make vitamins which control bone growth.
WHAT CAUSES KIDNEY FAILURE
Kidney failure can be due to many things. A leading cause of kidney failure can be caused by diabetes (high blood sugar levels).
Second leading cause is hypertension (high blood pressure).
Other causes of kidney failure can be congenital (born with), inherited (runs in the family), infections, inflammation, and drugs and toxins.
What do my lab
values mean?
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Chronic Kidney Disease is a decrease function of your kidneys and it is separated into 5 different stages.
This chart is provided by the National Kidney Foundation. Print this chart here.