#glomerulus Archives - All Things Kidney ~ Official

Blood Pressure Essentials

June 17, 2020May 21, 2021Leave a comment

High blood pressure is almost always present at the time of diagnosing Chronic Kidney Disease. And as time passes during your CKD journey, controlling your BP becomes an essential part of your treatment plan to delay kidney failure.

But why do you get high BP in chronic kidney disease in the first place?!

For that let us first take you through all the essential facts that you must grasp about the whole concept of Blood Pressure.

Knowing this will help you master your understanding of what goes wrong with your BP regulation systems and to what extent, when CKD hits.

So, let’s begin then, shall we?

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Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

November 8, 2019May 21, 2021Leave a comment

If you are a member of the kidney community – whether as a patient, caregiver, advocate or knowledge seeker – it is likely that you have come across the term “Glomerular Filtration Rate” or more commonly, the GFR. Perhaps you are also aware that this term broadly relates to your kidney’s functional capacity.

But do you completely understand what GFR really is?

How does your medical team clinically assess the GFR for your kidneys?

How valid is it throughout your CKD journey?

And is it always indicative of the true health status of your kidneys?

All these are some very pertinent questions that each member of the Kidney Community, especially the patients & caregivers must thoroughly know the answers to. And that is exactly what we are here to help you with, today. Continue reading “Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)” →

Protein in Urine: What, How & Why

April 9, 2019February 9, 2023Leave a comment

WHAT IS PROTEINURIA?

The leakage of Plasma Protein in urine is technically termed as “Proteinuria” (pronounced as pro-teen-you-reah). These proteins are NOT the usual nutrient that you obtain from food. These are a different class of Proteins specially made by your Liver.

Plasma Proteins normally circulate in your bloodstream & help with a range of functions essential to keep you alive. Urine samples with Protein tend to be visibly foamy / frothy akin to the kind that you get after dissolving detergents in water. The extent of foam will certainly vary with the extent of protein leakage.

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Healthy Kidneys prevent Blood & Protein in Urine. But how?!

April 4, 2019February 9, 2023Leave a comment

Normally, Urine produced by healthy kidneys is a cocktail of toxic waste products of cellular metabolism, a host of minerals, salts, smelly organic compounds & excess water. (Find the complete normal urine composition here). These components begin to get together to form Urine once healthy kidney micro-filters “strain” our blood through themselves. These micro-filters are uber-selective with what they “let-out” into the urine. This is such that, all blood cells & “plasma” proteins remain in the bloodstream while the wastes & excesses purge themselves out.

But what makes these Kidney Micro-filters that selective against leakage of blood cells & protein in urine?

LET’S DISSECT!

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Blood in Urine: How to pinpoint the site of bleeding?

February 24, 2019January 23, 2023Leave a comment

Haematuria (blood in urine) is a common reason for “Red Urine” in patients with Kidney and Urinary tract diseases.

If you consult your doctor for reddish discoloration of your urine, your doctor will first:

Based on the clinical examination, you will be advised necessary laboratory-based tests to confirm the presence of blood in your urine.

These tests would also allow your doctor to get an approximate idea of where the blood could have been coming from, into your urine.

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