NEPHROLOGY CONSULTATION
NEPHROLOGIST PHYSICIAN
What is nephrology?
Know which diseases or symptoms indicate an appointment with a nephrologist.
What is nephrology and, consequently, what does the nephrologist do. The term Nephros comes from the Greek and means Kidneys. Therefore, a nephrologist is one who studies the functions and diseases of the kidneys.
What about the Urologist? Urology is the surgical specialty dealing with the urinary and reproductive tract.
However, the nephrologist is the clinician specializing in the urinary system while the urologist is the surgeon. there is a relationship between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. It is the same as between neurologists and neurosurgeons.
Our 2 kidneys filter an average of 180 liters of blood per day, more or less 90 to 125 ml per minute. This is called the glomerular filtration rate or creatinine clearance. As the average is 100 ml/min, for a better understanding of patients, we usually say that this value corresponds to 100% of renal function. If your doctor says you have 60% function, that roughly means your rins filter 60 ml/min.
Make an appointment, prevention is better than cure!
CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE | Symptoms and treatment
It is the key disease of the specialty, most patients come to us nephrologists late, with less than 30% of kidney function, at a stage that little can be done to try to prevent the disease from progressing towards hemodialysis. This is obviously not only the fault of the patients, but also of their doctors who are slow to refer their patients with chronic renal failure to the nephrologist.
Patients with chronic renal failure who come to the nephrologist early have:- Lower mortality.- Better blood pressure control.- Fewer diseases associated with kidney failure, such as bone lesions, anemia, malnutrition and cardiovascular diseases.- Less loss of renal function and consequently greater chance of not progressing to hemodialysis.- Patients who end up needing hemodialysis have fewer complications and lower mortality, in addition to better preparation and shorter time for kidney transplantation if this is what the patient wants (HEMODIALYSIS and TRANSPLANTATION.)- They can receive timely treatment for diseases that lead to end-stage renal failure when not treated correctly. Risk factors for chronic kidney failure and when is it evaluated by the nephrologist?
When there are changes in the blood creatinine level, which is the main marker of kidney function (YOU KNOW WHAT CREATININE IS to know how to identify poor kidney function)
When the urine is foaming a lot or when the presence of proteins is detected in the same in laboratory tests (PROTEINURIA, FOAMY URINE AND NEPHROTIC SYNDROME)
When the urine is very dark or red, or when laboratory tests indicate the presence of blood in the urine, even if it is microscopic and imperceptible to the patient ( HEMATURIA (URINE WITH BLOOD)
Repeated urinary tract infection, especially if there are more than 3 episodes per year (URINARY INFECTION ( CYSTITIS ) and PYELONEPHRITIS ( KIDNEY INFECTION ))
More than 1 episode of kidney stones. The urologist treats the stones, but it is the nephrologist who prevents new stones from appearing ( CÁLCULO RENAL (KIDNEY STONE) - Why does it appear?)
Diabetic and long-term hypertensive patients should have at least one evaluation with the nephrologist as both diseases are the main causes of chronic kidney failure and need for hemodialysis in the world ( DIAGNOSIS AND SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES and SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION (HIGH PRESSURE)
Appearance of diffuse edema (swellings), especially in the legs and face (SWELLINGS AND EDEMAS)
Changes in blood potassium, sodium, phosphorus, uric acid, magnesium and calcium that the general practitioner does not easily identify (CHECK-UP / BLOOD TEST)
Appearance of multiple kidney cysts on tests such as ultrasound (ultrasound), computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. A family history of polycystic kidneys also warrants consultation with a nephrologist (POLYCYSTIC KIDNEYS/POLYCHESTIC KIDNEYS and KIDNEY CYST)
Changes in the shape or size of the kidneys discovered through the imaging tests described above
Lupus patients (SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE))
Excess urine (EXCESS URINE. WHAT COULD IT MEAN?)
A timely referral from the nephrologist can be the difference between being fully cured or needing lifelong hemodialysis.
It is good to be aware that in chronic renal failure there is no way to recover the renal function that has already been lost. What the nephrologist tries to do is to reduce the progression of this loss.
Therefore, the later the referral, the less the nephrologist will have to offer.
At your nephrology consultation receive support, get a global approach to a renal failure.
KIDNEY SUPPORT
1. Rim and kidney failure
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 1.1 how does your kidney work
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 1.2 what is kidney failure
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 1.3 Syndromes
2. Treatment options
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.1 Living with a kidney you never thought you'd have
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.2 Hemodialysis
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.2.1 what is hemodialysis
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.2.2 Hemodialysis in the clinic
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.2.3 Home hemodialysis
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.2.4 vascular process
2.3 Living with kidney failure
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.3.1 Peritoneal dialysis
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.3.2 What is Peritoneal Dialysis
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.3.3 How does Peritoneal Dialysis work
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.3.4 Peritoneal catheter
_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 2.3.5 Advantages and disadvantages of peritoneal dialysis
3. Emergency situations
4. Nutrition and feeding
5. Holidays and travel
