Renal eclampsia is a very dangerous condition, accompanied by convulsions, loss of consciousness, or coma. The syndrome develops rapidly, the consequence of its appearance is acute glomerulonephritis, which causes a sharp increase in blood pressure, causing brain edema and convulsions. This syndrome most often occurs as a result of severe toxicosis during pregnancy, but there are times when it affects other categories of people.
Causes of the syndrome
The syndrome occurs due to severe edema overlapping some conditions of the human body. Firstly, this is pregnancy, especially often, renal eclampsia is fixed in the second half of pregnancy. Secondly, it is nephropathy, as a rule, also in pregnant women. The third risk group is people with acute diffuse glomerulonephritis. In other cases of the syndrome, as a rule, chronic nephritis is to blame.
Symptomatic manifestations
Renal eclampsia is a set of conditions that coincide in one time period. That is, high blood pressure, narrowing of the vessels of the brain, leading to oxygen starvation of the body, sodium retention in the brain cells caused by kidney damage. All this leads to a number of very bright and noticeable symptoms around. And if they are not correctly identified in time and correctly, then it will not be possible to provide a person with timely help. In this case, he may fall into a coma or even die.
How to understand that a person has eclampsia
Renal eclampsia and the pathogenesis of the syndrome must be able to recognize by specific symptoms:
- A person has a sharp headache, and the pain is very severe.
- Pain causes nausea and vomiting.
- The patient loses consciousness for a period of 1 minute to a day.
- Against the background of renal eclampsia, vision or speech may deteriorate.
- Hands or feet are paralyzed. May paralyze half of the face. These manifestations are temporary.
- Veins on the neck visually increase in volume.
- Eyeballs roll under the upper eye arches of the skull.
- In a state of seizures, the patient can bite his tongue.
- Foam is released from the mouth.
- The skin turns pale sharply.
- Breathing becomes intermittent and not very deep.
The main symptom is cramp. It can be tonic, that is, weak. Such a cramp affects only one or two muscles on the arm, leg, face, and so on.
Clonic spasm is much more dangerous. A person ceases to control his bladder and anal sphincter, they involuntarily relax. Eyes cease to respond to light and what is happening around.
These signs are very similar to an epileptic seizure, but there is still a difference - severe swelling.
Since renal eclampsia is usually a cramp and a seizure, you need to know that it proceeds in several stages. The first stage is accompanied by precursors and lasts for one minute.
At the second stage, the convulsions themselves appear, but not strong, but tonic. It lasts approximately 30 seconds.
The third stage is the most dangerous, it is accompanied by clonic convulsions, a person does not control his body at all and is able to harm himself. This condition lasts about 2 minutes.
The last, fourth stage is the end of the attack or resolution. The patient regains consciousness, begins to breathe normally, and brain activity is restored.
Diagnostic measures
Diagnosis of renal eclampsia includes several research methods. Firstly, this is a complete medical history, that is, a patient survey about how often these attacks occur. If he has scars on his tongue, from bites during past seizures and no edema, then a person is likely to have epilepsy. This can be confirmed by a neurologist during an additional study.
If edema on the face or extremities is observed externally, and urine has a slightly higher specific gravity and contains blood, then a person most likely has renal eclampsia. Especially if the history indicates that he has chronic nephritis.
A brain ECG or CT scan of the head helps rule out a stroke. According to the symptoms, it is very similar to the syndrome, only at the same time the patient’s face does not turn pale, but usually turns red, there are no swelling.
High platelet count can lead to renal eclampsia, therefore, a general blood test is mandatory for diagnosis.
Eclampsia in pregnant women
Pregnancy is a factor that increases the risk of the syndrome. Indeed, in the process of carrying a child, the woman’s body undergoes strong changes, especially in metabolism and hormonal levels. This may cause an increase in platelets in the blood, that is, a risk of blockage of large vessels and oxygen deficiency in the brain as a result.
An acute shortage of oxygen and trace elements in the uterus can destroy the fetus. In a pregnant woman, not only the kidneys can fail, but also the lungs (as a result of thrombosis).
Thus, it becomes clear that a pregnant woman needs to carefully monitor her health and prevent conditions that can cause the syndrome.
Renal eclampsia - emergency care
A patient in a state of seizure is able to accidentally hurt himself by biting his tongue or hitting his head on a hard object. In addition, at this moment, the likelihood of cerebral edema and a violation of its basic functions is high. All this calls for renal eclampsia to provide emergency care to the patient. The patient himself or his relatives at the onset of a seizure should call an ambulance.
Immediately at the beginning of the attack, you need to lay the patient on a flat surface, even on the floor. You don’t need to put a pillow under your head.
The person’s face should be turned on its side, then the risk of tongue sinking is reduced and the probability of choking with saliva is reduced.
The windows in the house must be open, this is necessary for the influx of fresh air. If the incident occurred on the street, then you need to free the victim’s neck from clothes that constrain breathing.
If a person’s breathing in a seizure becomes uneven, shallow or even stops altogether, he needs to be given artificial ventilation by inhaling air through his mouth. In this case, the nose must be pinched, and the head tilted back to open the airways. If during an attack a person is conscious, you need to give him a tablet of nitroglycerin.
Treatment principles
The treatment of the syndrome is complex, first of all, symptoms that are dangerous to health are removed. So, convulsions are treated with Seduxen, Droperidol or Promedol. The type of drug and dosage is selected depending on the condition of the patient and the strength of the seizure.
Blood pressure is normalized with Clofelin, Dibazole, or Eufillin.
There is a universal remedy that can simultaneously reduce blood pressure and relieve spasm. This is magnesium sulfate, administered intravenously. A small amount of blood from the patient, about 400-500 grams, can urgently help. This has a positive effect on intracranial pressure.
If the initial therapy does not bring relief, then the patient is given a spinal puncture. Leaking fluid normalizes intracranial pressure.
Propaedeutics of renal eclampsia is relieved by powerful painkillers. Since renal colic can cause pain shock and patient death, drugs are administered intravenously for the speed of absorption.
Follow-up therapy
In the future, treatment is aimed at eliminating the very cause of the syndrome. Therapy is carried out in stationary conditions. Most often this is the treatment of chronic or acute nephritis. During the recovery period, the patient takes diuretics and adheres to a strict diet that excludes foods containing salt and other harmful impurities from the diet. It is also limited in fluid intake, as it is necessary to relieve puffiness.
Possible complications
The most common complication of renal eclampsia is a heart attack caused by pain, or a brain hemorrhage. In both cases, the patient is likely to die, especially if he was not provided with urgent medical care.
Pregnant women are also at risk of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Mortality in this case reaches almost 100% of cases.
Fortunately, the disease itself is extremely rare, and its complications rarely occur. In digital terms, it looks like this - 1% of pregnant women are affected by this syndrome, and only 0.01% have complications.
Preventive actions
To reduce the risk of renal eclampsia and the strength of its consequences, preventive measures must be taken. Firstly, during pregnancy or during the planning period it is necessary to undergo preventive treatment of the kidneys and adrenal glands. If as a result of examination a woman has chronic nephritis, then she is not recommended to become pregnant until she is completely cured.
During the entire period of pregnancy, you must regularly visit a doctor and take all the necessary tests. This helps to identify developing pathology in the early stages and cure it.
It is very important to understand that neuropathy can lead not only to a syndrome that causes seizures, but also to a violation of the hormonal background in the blood. And this will certainly affect the condition and development of the fetus.
In order not to miss the development of kidney pathology, for example, inflammation, the accumulation of sand and stones in the ureters, it is necessary to regularly undergo medical examinations. This applies not only to pregnant women, but also to citizens of all ages and categories. Such an inspection should be carried out at least once every six months. This is especially important for the elderly.
Conclusion and Conclusions
Renal eclampsia is a rare but extremely dangerous condition that requires urgent medical attention. Knowledge of its symptoms, principles of treatment, and most importantly - of first aid, can save the lives of more than one person.