Uremia is a pathological condition resulting from the accumulation of protein metabolism products in the blood. In a healthy person, these metabolic products are excreted along with urine. The disease is important to diagnose and take action in time, because then serious consequences can occur. You need to know what uremia is in humans and animals and how to prevent the development of this disease. Yes, pathology is found not only in people, but also in our smaller brothers, which requires immediate examination by a veterinarian.
Symptomatology
Gradually, uremia develops. Symptoms at first are not too pronounced and are manifested by headache, weakness, fatigue. A blood test will show the presence of creatinine, urea, residual nitrogen. Nitrogen-containing substances and urea, which accumulate in the blood, are intensely secreted by the skin in the later stages. This condition is called “hoarfrost” on the skin or “uremic powder”. It provokes the development of pericarditis, pleurisy, laryngotracheitis, colitis, uremic gastritis (vomiting, nausea, anorexia). Intoxication of the body leads to impaired liver and brain functions. Also, vision, hearing are impaired, thrombocytopenia and anemia increase.
Causes
Few people think about the reasons why uremia occurs. What are these reasons, meanwhile, it is very important to know. The disease does not develop on its own, it is provoked by other disorders in the body. Among the immediate causes of uremia is called chronic or acute renal failure.
The most common factors for the development of uremia are kidney cancer. The disease can also occur against the background of inflammatory processes of the kidneys, which are divided into autoimmune and purulent. Often, doctors call the cause of the pathology different forms of urolithiasis. The correct diagnosis in this case allows you to put renal colic.
Uremia can be caused not by nephrological, but by systemic diseases. A uremic condition results in kidney damage in diabetes, tuberculosis or hypertension. The disease can occur against the background of chemical systemic intoxications and poisoning by poisonous mushrooms.
Symptoms of azotemic uremia
Many patients are diagnosed with azotemic uremia. What is it and how to deal with the disease? The disease occurs against a background of chronic renal failure, as a result of self-poisoning of the body. This is the most serious complication that results in nephrosclerosis. In addition to the general symptoms characteristic of the patient’s uremic state, others also appear with azotemic uremia. Disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys lead to disturbances in the body's acid-base balance and mineral composition. As a result of the accumulation of acidic products, acidosis develops.
Stages of the disease
The development of azotemic uremia can be divided into two periods. The first is hidden, and in this case, pathology can be detected only with the help of special studies. In the second period, a clearly defined picture of chronic uremia appears. At an early stage, renal failure can be determined based on the results of a study of urea, glomerular filtration, and electrolytes. The detection of the disease in the latent period is possible after examination of the excretory function of the kidneys.
Depending on the state of glomerular filtration and the level of azotemia, three stages of chronic kidney failure are distinguished: initial, severe and terminal.
The clinical picture of azotemic uremia
Clinically, the disease manifests itself in the form of trophic, neurological and dyspeptic disorders. Patients suffer from frequent vomiting, nausea, dry mouth, thirst, aversion to food, loss of appetite. The skin acquires a pale yellow tint, itching bothers. The disease is accompanied by diarrhea, enterocolitis, gingivitis, stomatitis.
Neurological disorders are manifested in the form of lethargy, adynamia, apathy. Circulatory disorders occur. In patients, hearing and vision are significantly reduced, they are worried about the excruciating itching of the skin. Uremia, the symptoms of which at the final stage lead to the development of terminal endocarditis, can be fatal.
Forecast
The progression of the disease in most cases leads to the death of the patient. It can develop quickly or slowly. The condition of the patient can be affected by bleeding, surgical interventions, childbirth, infections. A lethal outcome occurs as a result of intercurrent infection, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, circulatory failure, intoxication of the body. In the initial stage of uremia, the prognosis is more favorable. The terminal stage almost leaves no chance to survive.
Where to go?
Uremia, whose symptoms, treatment and diagnosis are closely related, does not tolerate slowness. The sooner a disease is detected and a fight is started, the patient has more chances for recovery. In order not to waste time in vain, you need to know which doctor to contact. If the symptoms of uremia in a person are accompanied by symptoms of urolithiasis, then a urologist can help. He will diagnose and prescribe an adequate and effective treatment.
In the case when kidney uremia can be of oncological origin, you need to contact an oncologist. Chronic systemic diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis) give an occasion to consult a therapist before going to a consultation with a urologist.
Clinical diagnosis
What to do if a person is faced with symptoms that are characteristic of a disease such as uremia? That it is very life-threatening, he must understand from the first minute and immediately turn to specialists. The hospital will refute or confirm suspicions, conduct a complete diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.
The first step in the diagnosis of uremia is a biochemical blood test, with which you can determine the level of creatinine and urea. It is also necessary to determine the level of protein in the blood. If the suspicions of uremia are confirmed, then a number of instrumental and laboratory examinations are carried out in order to identify the cause. It can sometimes be determined by a general analysis of urine. When this study is not enough, ultrasound diagnostics, excretory urography, computed tomography are performed.
Drug therapy
Treatment of uremia is based on syndromic therapy, and not symptomatic, because this disease is a syndrome that includes various symptoms. Treatment can be carried out with the help of hardware or drug therapy.
The medicamentous treatment for uremia consists in detoxification and rehydration therapy. Based on the severity of the patient's condition, a certain amount of drugs is prescribed. In some situations, medication is the patient's only hope. Mostly this method is used in the initial stages when more serious methods cannot be applied.
Hematologic dialysis
Not only with the help of medicines can uremia be eliminated. Symptoms, treatment may vary. In cases where the disease is no longer amenable to the action of drugs, it is treated using hematological dialysis. It is considered the most priority method to date. Hematological dialysis is carried out using a special apparatus, popularly known as an "artificial kidney." Human blood is passed through the device, removing pathological metabolic products from it. The fear of patients to undergo hematologic dialysis is explained by the widespread opinion about getting used to an “artificial kidney”. This is not practically confirmed and has no scientific basis for existence. Moreover, in some cases, you can save a person’s life only by using the device. Hematologic dialysis is aimed at restoring a normal state with uremia, and then an etiological treatment is carried out to eliminate the primary cause of the pathology.
Treatment with folk remedies
Sometimes patients do not think about what uremia is fraught with, that it is life threatening. They ignore the fact that it can be treated only in special institutions under the supervision of a doctor. Often patients resort to treatment with folk remedies, which with such a pathology is strongly not recommended. Turning to alternative medicine takes precious time and can turn out very unfavorably for the patient.
Complications
Uremia in itself is no longer a complication of renal failure, but at the same time it is not the final point in the development of pathology. The absence of normal treatment complicates the patient's condition, and chronic uremia develops. This is caused by damage to the nerve structures of the brain by urinary toxins, which leads to the development of renal encephalopathy. The symptoms of uremia are also associated with memory lapses, tremor of the extremities, severe headache, periodic fainting. Patients eventually enter a state of stopper, which is accompanied by severe inhibition, loss in space. Untimely hospitalization can result in a kidney or uremic coma for the patient, which is characterized by deep noisy breathing, prolonged loss of consciousness, ammonia breath, narrowing of the pupils. Of the signs of life in a patient, only breathing and a weak pulse are observed. Renal coma in most cases ends fatally, with a uremic patient has all chances to survive, but with further intellectual failure.
Animal disease
What is uremia in humans, we have already managed to find out. But this disease is quite common among animals. Not every owner of a cat or dog knows about the causes and methods of treating an ailment, but this is simply necessary to ensure the safety of the pet. For the animal, this disease carries no less threat than for humans. Uremia in cats and dogs is associated with the toxic effects of nitrogenous wastes on the entire body, which are released into the bloodstream due to improper functioning of the kidneys. The disease is divided into acute and chronic. The acute form of uremia in animals is caused by acute renal failure due to poisoning, sepsis, dehydration, injuries, burns, and circulatory disorders.
In practice, one often has to deal with a chronic form that develops as a result of chronic kidney diseases (swelling, kidney stones, nephritis). Uremia in cats, whose symptoms are quite noticeable, is recognized by external signs. The animal's appetite disappears, lethargy, nausea, and vomiting appear. For some time, the coat loses its attractive appearance and becomes unpleasant to the touch, the animal rapidly reduces weight, the smell of ammonia is felt from its oral cavity. You should not take any treatment measures on your own, this can only do much harm. Immediately you need to show the pet to the veterinarian.
Diagnosis and treatment of uremia in animals
First of all, the doctor must conduct a blood test, which will show all deviations from the norm in the state of the animal’s body. If the disease is not treated, it causes a violation of other organs and systems. In particular, the work of the brain and liver is disrupted, anemia increases and bleeding appears. Chronic renal failure leaves almost no chance for the animal to survive.
When making a diagnosis of uremia, an emergency hospitalization of the pet is necessary. In the veterinary institution, the general condition of the animal, the work of the heart and respiratory system, and the state of the blood will be constantly monitored. Also, measures will be taken at the clinic aimed at stabilizing and improving the condition of the pet.
Pet owners should know that uremia poses a direct threat to the life of the animal. If you do not pay attention to the pathological condition in time, the pet may die.