Kidney Diseases Treated at BIG Apollo Spectra

Kidney diseases can range from slow, progressive decline of kidney function to acute episodes caused by an illness or injury. They all require different tests and periods of time to monitor.

Below, we will discuss some of the kidney diseases our nephrology team manages and treats.

1. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is when the kidneys begin to slowly lose their function. This can be monitored by measuring a patient's eGFR over time. Most patients who have early stages of CKD will not have any symptoms. That's why it is important to get blood work done to check your kidney function.

There are many causes of CKD, but diabetes and hypertension are the top two. Keeping these under control and managed will help slow your CKD down. Your nephrologist will monitor you to make sure your CKD does not progress to advanced stages of chronic kidney disease.

2. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)

Acute Kidney Injury is a sudden loss of kidney function. It can be caused by many things such as dehydration, infection, certain drugs or from surgery. There are many factors we look at when evaluating a patient who has an AKI. When a patient comes into the hospital with an AKI, we monitor them closely for fluid balance, electrolyte shifts, and urine output. If a patient develops an AKI while being treated for another condition, our nephrology team works directly with critical care to manage the patient without delay.

3. Diabetic Kidney Disease

When your blood sugar stays elevated for an extended period of time, it will begin to affect your kidneys. It can take years before you even know that your kidneys are being affected by diabetes. Make sure you have your kidney function checked regularly if you have diabetes, including opting for a urine albumin test. Managing blood sugar levels is key to slowing down kidney damage from diabetes.

4. Nephrotic & Glomerular Diseases

Protein in your urine can be caused by nephrotic & glomerular disease. There are many different causes of glomerular disease which is why it requires a specialist to evaluate and in some cases perform a kidney biopsy to diagnose. You may notice that your urine appears foamy most of the time or you have swelling around the eyes, legs, or abdomen.

5.  Electrolyte & Acid-Base Disorders

Since your kidneys help balance your sodium/potassium levels and acid/base levels of your body, you may experience electrolyte imbalances when your kidneys aren't functioning properly. Left uncorrected, this electrolyte imbalance in renal problems can affect heart rhythm and muscle function, so it's something that should be addressed promptly.

6. Hypertensive Kidney Disease

If you have high blood pressure, you're at risk for developing renal disease and if you have renal disease, your blood pressure is likely going to be more difficult to control. For most nephrology doctors, it’s of utmost importance to manage hypertensive kidney disease to protect kidney function. You will want to keep your blood pressure controlled with medication and monitoring in order to avoid complications.

7. Kidney Failure & Renal Replacement Therapy

If your kidneys progress to failure, you will need some form of renal replacement therapy. Dialysis would become a topic of discussion. You may also be evaluated for a kidney transplant if you qualify.

When Should You See a Nephrologist?

There are many signs and symptoms of kidney disease that can be ignored or attributed to other conditions. This is why many people are not diagnosed until they are in the later stages of the disease.

You should consider a nephrology consultation in these cases:

●       You notice persistent swelling in your legs, face, or abdomen,

●       There’s a change in how much urine you're passing, whether that's less than usual or unusually frequent.

●       Blood or foamy, protein-heavy urine are both signs worth getting checked rather than waiting out.

●       Recurrent electrolyte abnormalities, unexplained fatigue that doesn't improve with rest, or a known diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension are all reasons to have your kidney function monitored proactively rather than reactively.

If there is an elevated creatinine/eGFR on any routine blood test or if you have high BP which is resistant to medications, a kidney specialist in Patna can guide you on whether it is due to your kidneys.

All these symptoms of poor kidney function can be ignored, especially if you are elderly. Please don't let them get worse. Also if you have CKD, previous history of recurrent acute kidney injury, or family history of kidney disease, it is better to keep yourself under the care of a nephrologist because your risk factor is higher than an average person.

Also note that some of these signs can be related to urological causes as well like stones in the kidney or problems in your bladder. Your Nephrologist will guide you if it's due to kidney disease or any other cause related to urinary system and will refer you to a urologist if required.

How Is Kidney Disease Diagnosed?

When diagnosing a patient with kidney disease, there are many different ways to go about this. Your doctor or nephrologist will want to know your history and what symptoms you may be having before ordering any type of test. This will include questions about if you have diabetes or high blood pressure, what medications you are on, and if there is any family history of kidney disease. A physical exam will also be done looking for any swelling and checking your blood pressure.

●       Blood tests measuring serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) form the core of kidney function assessment, since these numbers show how effectively your kidneys are filtering waste.

●       A urine examination checks for protein, blood, and other abnormalities, with a urine protein or albumin test used specifically to detect early kidney damage that blood tests alone might miss.

●       Blood pressure is assessed at every visit, given how closely it's tied to kidney health.

●       Where the history or initial results suggest a structural issue, an ultrasound or other imaging may be used to look at kidney size, shape, and any obstruction.

●       In select cases, particularly with unexplained protein loss or suspected glomerular disease, a kidney biopsy may be recommended to confirm the exact diagnosis, since blood and urine tests alone don't always identify the underlying cause.

Not all tests need to be done on each patient. It depends on what your nephrologist thinks you may be suffering from based on your symptoms and risk factors. They will not order every test to each patient that comes in.

Kidney Disease Treatment in Patna

Treatment for kidney diseases at BIG Apollo Spectra depends on the individual condition of each patient. We cannot have one type of treatment plan for every patient that's diagnosed with the same disease. There are usually a range of causes for kidney disease in Indians and risk factor control is important to prevent further worsening.

Generally treatment for kidney diseases is started non invasively. This includes following these steps:

Medicines and Risk-Factor Management

Most patients on treatment for kidney diseases are given medication. Medications may include medicines for controlling hypertension, diabetes and other medications specific to your condition be it CKD, glomerular disease, or another diagnosis. Medication may also be given to maintain your body fluids and electrolytes, according to your lab reports.

Diet and Lifestyle

We will suggest you to take a proper diet depending upon your stage of kidney function. You may be told to restrict your fluid intake if required and also your salt intake to keep your blood pressure under control. Keeping your diabetes and blood pressure controlled through diet will help prevent progression of your kidney disease. Your nephrologist will also tell you about medications which can harm your kidneys and which you should avoid. Follow up will be scheduled to check your kidney function periodically.

Dialysis and Renal Replacement Therapy

Dialysis is when your kidney function gets so bad that you need treatment to remove waste and fluid from your body because it can no longer do this safely on its own.

Note: We are talking about late-stage kidney disease, not every patient who is diagnosed with CKD.  You can read more about when hemodialysis is needed and how that decision is made.

We will usually discuss dialysis with patients who are late in the treatment process if all other options have been exhausted or when kidney function declines to a very low level.

Kidney Transplant Evaluation / Follow-Up

Kidney transplant evaluation is offered for select patients with advanced kidney failure as an option for long-term treatment. This requires a comprehensive evaluation of your overall health to determine if you are a candidate for transplant before you are formally referred to transplantation services. We can also follow patients that have already had a transplant done previously (either at our hospital or at another hospital) for ongoing assessment of kidney function and medications.

Ongoing Kidney Stone Medication & Management

Kidney stones are formed when salts and minerals present in your urine crystallize and create these hard stones. This generally happens due to low fluid intake, specific eating habits or because of some metabolic predisposition.

Stones take time and form silently before they start giving rise to symptoms like pain in the flank area or blood in urine.

Small stones which are not obstructing can be managed conservatively by our nephrologist with hydration, dietary modification and follow up to watch if the stone passes spontaneously. This is generally the first line of kidney stone treatment and management when the stones are not causing major obstruction to urine flow or other complications.

Surgical intervention is indicated when stones cause obstruction to the flow of urine, recurrent/intractable/severe pain or infection. Stones which are too large to pass spontaneously and start affecting renal function also require surgical management.

This is where our urologist services in Patna steps in for procedures like ESWL, ureteroscopy, laser lithotripsy, RIRS or PCNL. So if you are searching online for kidney stone treatment in Patna or kidney stone doctor in Patna you can rest-assured you don’t have to start from scratch. We have coordinated care that brings in a urologist whenever your case needs one.

Kidney Care for Diabetes & High Blood Pressure

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of chronic kidney disease worldwide, and managing them well is one of the most effective ways to protect your kidneys long term.

Diabetic kidney disease develops gradually as prolonged high blood sugar damages the kidney's filtering structures, often without early symptoms. Hypertension-related kidney disease works in a similar, self-reinforcing way: uncontrolled blood pressure damages kidney blood vessels, and declining kidney function then makes blood pressure harder to control. Routine kidney-function monitoring, including creatinine, eGFR, and urine albumin testing, allows your care team to catch early changes before they become advanced disease.