Kidney disease can beacute, meaning fast developing and severe, orchronic, meaning persistent and progressive.
peakSTOCK / Getty Images
Types and Causes of Kidney Disease: Acute vs. With chronic kidney disease, the damage develops gradually and is most often incurable.
The underlying causes tend to be distinct and affect the kidneys differently.
peakSTOCK / Getty Images
Kidney Disease Symptoms: Can You Tell Which pop in You Have by the Signs?
One of the main differences between AKI and CKD is the timing and severity of symptoms.
With AKI, the symptoms will develop rapidly and are usually pronounced.
This includes 2 of every 5 people with advanced CKD.
As the eGFR declines from normal values of 90 and over, the risk and severity of symptoms increase.
The seven most common complications of CKD include:
Who Is at Risk of Kidney Disease?
Some people are at greater risk of kidney disease than others.
The tests evaluate the function of the kidneys in different ways and are collectively referred to asrenal function tests.
There are two types commonly used:
Kidney Transplant
Akidney transplantis another treatment option for ESRD.
The kidney may come from a deceased or living donor.
If not, a person may be placed on dialysis until a donor kidney is received.
Daily CKD Management
Managing CKD requires a commitment to good health.
Can You Prevent Chronic Kidney Disease?
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the number one and two causes of CKD, respectively.
By avoiding (or properly managing) these chronic diseases, you mayreduce your risk of CKD.
This includes eating right, exercising routinely, maintaining your ideal weight, and quitting cigarettes.
Outlook
The prognosis (outlook) of acute kidney injury is generally good if treated appropriately.
In some cases, AKI may be a one-off event without impacting your long-term health or life expectancy.
The prognosis of chronic kidney disease can vary by the individual.
The most common cause of death in people with CKD is heart disease rather than kidney failure.
The risk of death is largely influenced by the stage of CKD.
If neither is pursued, death usually occurs within several days or weeks.
Those pursuing dialysis have a far better outlook, with an average life expectancy of five to 10 years.
Around 88.1% of those who received a kidney from a living donor surviving for a least five years.
Even recipients in their 60s can expect to live anywhere from 11 to 15 years after a transplant.
National Kidney Foundation.Acute kidney injury (AKI).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Managing chronic kidney disease.
Chen TK, Knicely DH, Grams ME.Chronic kidney disease diagnosis and management.JAMA.
2019;322(13):12941304. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.14745
National Kidney Foundation.Polycystic kidney disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic kidney disease in the United States, 2021.
National Kidney Foundation.Race, ethnicity, and kidney disease.
National Kidney Foundation.Understanding the renal diet: protein.
National Kidney Foundation.Kidney transplant.
National Kidney Foundation.When should I start dialysis?
American Kidney Fund.How to prevent kidney disease.
