Polycystic kidney disease is a complex, often genetic, disease in which a large number of cavities filled with fluid develop in the body. At the first stages, the symptoms are not bright, so the patient in most cases suffers and is in no hurry to consult a doctor. With this disease, the ability of the kidneys to remove toxins and other harmful substances deteriorates. In this case, the functionality of the whole organism is disrupted.
General description of the disease
Polycystic kidney disease impairs the ability of the excretory system to remove harmful substances and waste products from the body. At the same time, toxins accumulate in the tissues, destroying them. If neoplasms increase, then they damage neighboring areas of the kidneys and other organs. In this case, the patient begins to increase blood pressure.
In the absence of treatment or its untimely conduct, polycystic kidney disease goes into the thermal stage, while the organs cannot normally cleanse the blood. Here the patient needs to undergo a hemodialysis procedure several times a week. In difficult cases, a kidney transplant is required to save a person’s life. Particularly dangerous disease for women who have a baby.
The risk of cysts in the kidneys, as well as in neighboring organs, increases with age. In addition, the disease is more often observed in the fairer sex. If at the initial stages of the development of pathology a person has no symptoms, then later the signs appear very clearly.
Causes of the appearance of pathology
Polycystic kidney disease can be congenital or acquired. In the second case, the cause of the development of the disease is:
- Constant stable increase in blood pressure.
- Injury to the internal organs or surgery on the kidneys.
- Stagnation of primary urine.
- Deformation of the kidney structures.
- Increased pressure in the tubules of the body.
Congenital pathology is caused by genetic mutations, improper development of the excretory system due to an unfavorable pregnancy. Polycystic kidney disease in children is considered a serious condition in which death can occur. This is especially true for newborns.
To save the baby's life, therapy should be started from the moment of birth, since the problem can be seen with the help of ultrasound in the period of intrauterine development.
Forms of the disease
Polycystic liver and kidney complicates a person’s life even more, since it is necessary to fight for both vital organs. In general, pathology is of several types:
- Autosomal recessive. Polycystic disease develops due to impaired gene formation. Most often it is diagnosed in newborn babies. A significant increase in the organ occurs, in which the urinary canals are compressed.
- Autosomal dominant. Such a disease is found in patients who have crossed a 30-year milestone. The genetic mutation is also to blame. Both kidneys are affected, in which numerous cysts form.
And pathologies can be classified as follows:
- Closed. Cysts in this case do not have a message with the tubules (diagnosed in infants).
- Open. In this case, the lumen of the tubules associated with the renal pelvis becomes wider. The organ can still function normally for a long time.
Whatever form of the disease, it must be treated. Otherwise, the life expectancy of a person will be reduced.
Stages of the development of the disease
ICD code for polycystic kidney disease Q.61. Pathology develops gradually. On this path, the disease goes through several stages:
- Compensated. Symptoms in this case appear blurry. Over time, they become stronger. In general, the work of the excretory system is not yet disrupted.
- Subcompensated. Here the renal failure is increasing. Sometimes suppuration occurs in the cyst.
- Decompensated (thermal). In this case, the patient develops chronic uremia. If a secondary infection joins, then the risk of death is increased. The patient constantly rises blood pressure, which entails the development of other serious pathologies.
Pay attention to the symptoms of pathology as soon as possible. In this case, there is the possibility of saving the organ and ensuring its normal functionality.
Symptoms and signs of pathology
Polycystic kidney disease (ICD refers to the group "cystic kidney disease") begins to sharply progress after 45 years. In this case, the cyst cavities are filled with fluid, and can spread to neighboring organs. In the first stages, the disease is asymptomatic. Further, a person has such signs of pathology:
- The presence of blood in the urine.
- The formation of calculi in the kidneys.
- Pressure change.
- The presence of infection in the genitourinary system.
- Constant general weakness, lethargy, fatigue.
- Protrusion of the abdominal wall.
- Chronic renal failure.
- Lying on his back, a person feels significant discomfort.
- Constant desire to drink water (with a decrease in parenchyma).
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Problems with the bowel movement.
- Itchy skin.
- Loss of appetite.
In the first stages, the patient often has pulling mild pain in the lower back. If they are repeated, then you must definitely contact a nephrologist and be examined.
Diagnostic Features
Polycystic kidney disease is not a death sentence. The main thing is to start treatment on time. This requires a thorough diagnosis, which includes:
- Fixation of patient complaints. A person should tell when the pain began to appear, what discomfort was. The doctor also needs to know if the patient has inflammatory kidney disease.
- Assessment of a person’s history, determination of a hereditary factor.
- Palpation of the kidney and abdomen.
- Laboratory tests of blood and urine.
- Ultrasound of the kidneys. Here, not only the size of the organs is determined, but also their structure.
- Identification of glomerular filtration rate.
- Urography using a contrast medium.
- CT Thanks to this study, the exact number and localization of neoplasms is revealed.
- Nephroscintigraphy.
- ECG (an additional diagnostic method).
Also, before treatment for polycystic kidney disease, you need to consult with a geneticist to refute or confirm a hereditary predisposition.
Possible complications
If a person has symptoms of polycystic kidney disease, you should immediately consult a doctor. If this is not done in a timely manner, then the pathology is fraught with such complications:
- Cyst rupture, which is accompanied by severe pain. With this condition, internal bleeding opens, so surgery is necessary.
- Renal failure.
- Aneurysm.
- Pyelonephritis.
- Change in blood count.
- The development of the inflammatory process inside the cyst.
- Compression of neighboring organs, as a result of which a person's blood pressure changes.
- Failures in the heart rhythm.
- Problems with the functionality of all body systems.
- Sepsis.
- Stroke.
Self-medication can cause such complications.
Traditional and surgical treatment of the disease
Cats also have polycystic kidney disease . You need to fight with him, as the animal can die. As for people, therapy involves the following tasks:
- Elimination of symptoms through medications.
- Lifestyle change. Polycystic disease is a serious kidney damage that requires a diet, refusal of alcohol and junk food.
- Limitation of physical activity.
- Compliance with the drinking regime. For the normal functioning of the excretory system, you need to drink at least 2 liters of liquid (juices, compotes, plain water).
As for medicines, the following drugs are prescribed to the patient:
- Analgesics: "Ketorolac", "Baralgin." They relieve discomfort.
- Antibiotics: Amoxiclav, Azithromycin. Antibiotics are necessary only if a microbial infection has joined the underlying disease.
- Urological antiseptics: "Furazolidone". In this case, the drugs are needed in case of infection with the urethra.
- Blood pressure and diuretics: Aldactone. The drug allows you to stabilize daily diuresis, as well as eliminate excess fluid from the body. It leads to the formation of puffiness, a change in pressure, which negatively affects the kidneys.
- Medications to Replenish Protein Deficiency: Ketosteril.
To prevent anemia, a person will have to use iron-containing drugs. If the cause of the development of the pathology is a genetic mutation, then it will not work out completely. With a serious violation of the function of the excretory system, a person needs a hemodialysis procedure.
If traditional treatment does not give a positive effect, and the patient's condition continues to rapidly deteriorate, then he is prescribed emergency surgery. Indications for the surgical procedure are as follows:
- Renal colic, accompanied by severe pain.
- Multiple formations of small size that affected both kidneys.
- Severe course of polycystic disease complicated by purulent process.
Sometimes palliative (facilitating human condition) removal of cysts is performed. As for operations, there are several types of them: puncture of the cyst with the removal of the contents of the neoplasm, laparoscopy, replacement of the affected kidney with a donor organ.
Folk recipes
Alternative treatment for polycystic kidney disease is allowed only in combination with drugs and after consulting a doctor. Such recipes will be useful:
- Decoction of burdock leaves. It takes 25 g of plants and 450 ml of boiling water. After insisting, the drug is consumed three times a day.
- Tincture of Echinacea. It must be taken 20 drops 3 times a day. The course of therapy is 9 months.
- Thistle Infusion. Take a glass of boiling water and 1 tbsp. l dry grass. It takes 3 hours to insist. The resulting volume should be drunk per day, dividing the liquid into 3 doses.
- Garlic tincture. It takes half a kilogram of chopped vegetable and half a liter of boiled liquid. Then the thick part is removed, and the mixture itself is insisted for a month in a dark place. Use the product should be 2 tbsp. l The liquid was previously dissolved in milk (100 ml).
- Tincture of mullein and calendula flowers. The components are combined in equal proportions. Putting plants should be in a dark glass container. Next, the mixture is poured with vodka so that it is completely covered. The remedy is infused for 2 weeks. After that, it is filtered and consumed 1 dessert spoon three times a day before meals. After 5 days, a person needs to switch to another dosage: 1 tablespoon.
Treatment of polycystic kidney disease with folk remedies should not go into monotherapy. Drugs cannot be excluded from the scheme.
To make the treatment as effective as possible, it is important to follow these recommendations:
- Do not overstrain the nervous system, avoid strong emotional outbursts.
- Do not overwork physically.
- Watch your blood pressure.
- Eliminate spicy dishes from the menu, reduce salt intake.
- At the very first symptoms of pathology, be examined.
- Relax more in the fresh air, establish the regime of the day, in which night sleep plays an important role.
- Strengthen the immune system.
If polycystic kidney disease (reviews about its treatment are different) does not make itself felt, and neoplasms do not increase in size, then the patient must undergo ultrasound diagnostics every six months to monitor the condition of the affected organ.
Pathology Prevention
With timely treatment and proper monitoring, the prognosis for polycystic kidney disease is relatively favorable. As for prevention, there are no specific preventive measures. To prevent the acquired form of the disease, the following recommendations should be observed:
- Correctly and in time to get rid of infectious and inflammatory processes that affect the genitourinary system.
- Try not to get too cold.
- Exclude serious physical exertion, contact sports, emotional outbursts.
- Refuse cigarettes and alcohol.
- Once a year, monitor the condition of the kidneys using ultrasound, take blood and urine tests.
- Undergo preventive examinations by a nephrologist and urologist.
- Eat right: limit your intake of salt and foods containing potassium (chips, dried fruits, potatoes). Eat exclusively lean meat.
- Use a sufficient amount of fluid per day if the person does not form edema.
- Constantly monitor blood pressure and keep it stable.
- Strengthen the body with vitamin preparations, exercise, walks in the fresh air.
- Refuse strong tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks.
Polycystic kidney disease is a serious pathology that can provoke organ failure, so you should not delay a visit to the doctor when the first symptoms appear.