Glomerulonephritis, Kidney Inflammation In Filters

Jakarta, Description

Glomerulonephritis is inflammation of the glomerulus, which is a small organ in the kidney that functions as a filter. Glomerular function remove excess fluid, electrolyte and wastes from the bloodstream and pass into the urine.

Glomerulonephritis can attack suddenly and cause chronic inflammation gradually.

This disease can be caused by many things. If that happens just glomerulonephritis only, then referred to as primary glomerulonephritis. If other diseases such as lupus or diabetes is the cause, it is called secondary glomerulonephritis. If severe or prolonged, inflammation can damage the kidneys due to glomerulonephritis.

Symptom

Signs and symptoms of glomerulonephritis depends on the nature and cause. Signs and symptoms include:

1. Urine pink or cola-colored as a result of red blood cells into the urine (hematuria)
2. Foamy urine due to excess of protein (proteinuria)
3. High blood pressure (hypertension)
4. Swelling in the face, hands, legs and abdomen
5. Fatigue due to anemia or kidney failure


Cause

Various diseases can lead to glomerulonephritis, ranging from infection to disease that affects the entire body Sometimes the cause is unknown. Some diseases that can cause glomerulonephritis include:

Infection

Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. Glomerulonephritis can appear one or two weeks after recovering from strep throat or skin infection. Excess production of antibodies that are stimulated by infection eventually settled in the glomerulus and causes inflammation.

Symptoms include swelling, less urine output, and the inclusion of blood in the urine. Children are more likely to develop post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis than adults, but they also recover faster.

Bacterial endocarditis. This bacteria can spread through the bloodstream and settle in the liver, causing infection of the heart valves. People at risk of this disease are people who have heart defects. Bacterial endocarditis associated with glomerular disease, but a clear relationship between the two remained missing.

Virus infection. Viruses that can trigger glomerulonephritis is an infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the virus that causes hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Immune System Diseases

Immune system disease that can cause glomerulonephritis include:
1. Lupus
Lupus can cause chronic inflammation in many parts of the body, including skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs.

2. Goodpasture's syndrome
Are immunological disorders of the lungs are rarely encountered. Goodpasture's syndrome causes bleeding in the lungs and glomerulonephritis.

3. IgA nephropathy
Marked by the influx of blood in the urine repeatedly. Primary glomerular disease is caused by a buildup of immunoglobulin A (IgA) in the glomerulus. IgA nephropathy can occur for years without showing symptoms. The disorder is apparently more common in men than in women.

4. Vasculitis
Is a disorder characterized by damage due to inflammation of blood vessels, arteries and veins. The types of vasculitis that causes glomerulonephritis include:

5. Polyarteritis
Vasculitis affecting small and medium-sized blood vessels in some parts of the body such as kidneys, liver, and intestines.

6. Wegener's granulomatosis
Vasculitis affecting small and medium blood vessels in the lungs, the airways, upper and kidneys.

Conditions that tend to cause injury to the glomerulus

1. High blood pressure
Kidney damage and ability to perform normal functions can be reduced due to high blood pressure. In contrast, glomerulonephritis can also cause high blood pressure because of reduced renal function.

2. Diabetic kidney disease
Diabetic kidney disease can affect people with diabetes. Diabetic nephropathy usually takes many years to come. Setting levels of blood sugar and blood pressure can prevent or slow kidney damage.

3. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Marked by the scar tissue spread of some glomeruli, this condition can be caused by other diseases or without a known reason.

Chronic glomerulonephritis sometimes appears after an attack of acute glomerulonephritis. Some patients even had no history of kidney disease, so the early signs of chronic glomerulonephritis is chronic renal failure.

Treatments and drugs

Results of treatment depends on the form of acute glomerulonephritis or chronic disease, the underlying cause, and the type and severity of symptoms. Some cases of acute glomerulonephritis tend to heal with sendrinya and requires no special treatment. So the goal of treatment is to protect the kidneys from further damage.

Treatment of high blood pressure
Keeping blood pressure under control is key to protecting the kidney. To control high blood pressure and slow the decline in kidney function, doctors will prescribe several drugs, among others:
- Diuretics
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Angiotensin II receptor agonist

Treatment for the underlying cause
If there is an underlying cause of inflammation of the kidneys, your doctor may prescribe other medications to treat the problem in addition to medication to control hypertension:
- Inflammation or infection with other bacteria. Your doctor will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic.
- Lupus or vasculitis. Doctors often prescribe corticosteroids and immune system-suppressing drugs to control inflammation.
- IgA nephropathy. Fish oil supplements and some immunosuppressant drugs have successfully helped several patients IgA nephropathy.
- Goodpasture's syndrome. Plasmapheresis is sometimes used to treat patients with Goodpasture's syndrome. Plasmapheresis is a mechanical process that removes antibodies from the blood by some blood plasma out of the blood and replace it with another liquid or plasma donors.

Therapy for renal failure
For acute glomerulonephritis and acute renal failure, dialysis can help reduce excess fluid and control high blood pressure. Dialysis is a process of eliminating waste and excess water from the blood, and used to replace kidney function in patients with renal failure.

Given the long-term therapy for end-stage renal failure is kidney dialysis and kidney transplantation. When transplantation is not possible, dialysis becomes the only option.