What is kidney?

A pair of organs in the abdomen, each having the size about half

Of a fist; that act as filters of blood ensuring proper filtration and

Any damage to the kidney results in imbalance of body fluids.

                                         

                                        What do the kidneys do?

Kidneys remove waste products such as urea which is formed

when proteins Are broken down. They help to balance essential

 ions (such as sodium, potassium And calcium) in the body.

 Hormones like erythropoietin secreted by the kidneys

Help in controlling blood pressure and stimulate bone marrow

to produce red  Blood cells. With the help of kidneys the body

is able to get rid of not only fluids But also, excess waste, drugs

 or other toxins through urine. Water balance is  Maintained by

 them by either holding back water or releasing excess water

Through urine. When water is retained, more fluids enter blood

vessels and the  Volume of blood increases, thus increasing pressure.

On the other hand if the Release of water is more, the reverse condition occur. Renin, a protein produced by the kidney cells have a hormone like effect that Raises the blood pressure, it also secretes calcitriol (active form of vitamin D) Which maintains the calcium levels in the body. Acid-base balance and energy Metabolism are                                                            also influenced by these bean shaped organs

What can affect functions?

·         Kidney stones – It is caused due to the deposition of salts in the kidneys

and along the urinary tract. These small hard deposits are usually made

up of calcium salts and uric acid.

·         Glomerulonephritis – inflammation within the glomeruli (a cluster of

Blood vessels) or other parts of the kidney.

·         Chronic kidney disease(CKD) – A condition that refers to the loss of kidney

Function over a time period, at least 3 months; due to which the blood cannot

Be filtered properly. It is analyzed using glomerular filtration rate (GFR), markers

Of kidney damage or a combination of both

·         Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) – A group of disorder that result in the development of multiple renal (kidney) cysts

·         Lupus nephritis – It is the inflammation of kidneys due to an autoimmune disorder

(body attacking its own cells) called systemic lupus erythematosus. In turn it may result

In hematuria (blood in urine) and proteinuria (protein in urine)