Polycystic kidney: symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment

Polycystic kidney disease is a dangerous disease in which a number of cysts form in the kidneys. Education is considered benign, but they lead to disruption of the kidneys and to an increase in blood pressure. The disease occurs along with renal failure. In some patients, polycystic kidney disease leads to the appearance of a cyst in the liver.

The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it leads to violations in the whole body. It is very important for patients to monitor blood pressure, otherwise there is a risk of kidney disorders. This can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system. The older the person, the more complications he has.

General description of polycystic kidneys

Polycystic kidneys weaken the ability of the kidneys to remove toxins from the body. As a result, toxic substances begin to accumulate in the body. If the cysts begin to increase in size, they can damage adjacent tissue sites. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in blood pressure.

If polycystosis is not treated, then it can go to the thermal stage. At this stage, a person must constantly cleanse the blood. And sometimes, to save life, a kidney transplant is required. It is very dangerous for pregnant women. Women with polycystic kidney disease can give birth to only one toddler for health reasons.

The older the patient, the greater the risk that the cysts will begin to form in the liver. In women, cysts develop much faster, and they are large in size. If a woman has a baby, then she is more susceptible to polycystic kidney disease. This is due to the fact that female hormones contribute to the growth of neoplasms.

Approximately 10% of patients with polycystic kidney disease have early cerebral aneurysms, which can lead to hemorrhage. Sometimes, polycystic disease leads to pathologies in the heart valve, which causes ¼ of the patients to develop prolapse of the mitral valve.

Causes of development of polycystic kidney

Polycystic kidney disease can be inherited. The disease can be associated with a genetic defect, which is responsible for violations in the genotype. There are two types of hereditary polycystosis: autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive.

Doctors have established a gene that is responsible for the development of this disease. The disease has been well studied to date, but since it is hereditary, it is very difficult to predict whether a person will be sick if his parents were sick.

As a rule, this disease begins to progress at the age of 46-70 years. This is due to genetic disorders that lead to the development of cysts. Over time, cysts become filled with fluid and can progress to other organs.

In this pathology, the glomerular membranes are not fully developed. The work of the kidneys is disrupted, which leads to increased formation of cells in the tubular membranes, which are responsible for the processes of reverse absorption of substances from residual urine.

Symptoms of the disease

The disease can progress for a long time without any symptoms. All his life a person may not even know that he suffers from polycystic kidney disease. Usually patients start complaining at the age of 46-70 years. However, in our time there are cases when the disease makes itself felt even in childhood. Doctors were faced with such cases, when the disease began to progress in children even in the womb. Unfortunately, in such cases it was not possible to save the fruit - it was born dead or had an abortion. If polycystosis is transmitted by inheritance, then its symptoms are pronounced.

One of the characteristic symptoms is an increase in kidneys from both sides. To detect such an increase, the doctor can palpate the anterior abdominal wall. In addition, when a person develops a pain in the lower back. Pain is caused by stretching of kidney tissue. A stretching of the tissue is due to the formation of a large number of cysts.

In addition, the disease is characterized by the presence of hematuria. In this condition, blood appears in the urine. The thing is that inside the cavity formations there is bleeding, which goes through the urinary system. Hematuria can be of varying severity - from minor to severe.

To the obvious symptoms of polycystosis can be attributed to the appearance of stones in the kidneys. This pathology begins to develop as a result of a metabolic disorder in the tissues. In addition, this is facilitated by the presence of obstacles that interfere with the normal outflow of urine.

In patients with polycystic kidney disease, patients complain of high blood pressure, which arises from the strong pressure in the kidneys. In the normal state, the pressure inside the kidneys is regulated by synthesizing substances. However, if the blood supply to the kidneys is disturbed, these substances begin to be produced in large amounts, which leads to an increase in blood pressure. People with high blood pressure have a headache and pain in the heart.

Often, with polycystic kidney infection occurs in the genitourinary system. Infection occurs as a result of a violation of the outflow of urine, which leads to the fact that microorganisms living in the urinary tract penetrate the entire urinary system. If this pathology is not treated, then this can lead to the development of purulent processes.

All patients have chronic renal failure. This is a serious complication, as it can lead to death. With renal insufficiency, the tissues begin to fill the cysts, which leads to a cessation of the release of metabolic products from the body. Because of this, the entire organism is intoxicated and internal organs are affected. Patients with renal failure need a kidney transplant or permanent hemodialysis.

Diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease

Before sending the patient to a complete examination, the doctor asks suggestive questions that help to find out about the symptoms. The doctor then finds out whether there have been cases of polycystic kidney disease in the patient's relatives. It is very important to determine how long the disease progresses. The method of treatment will depend on this.

The doctor necessarily conducts palpation of the kidneys, and then sends the patient to the ultrasound of the urinary system and other internal organs. In addition, the patient must undergo computed tomography and urography using contrast. It is mandatory to donate blood for biochemistry and urine analysis.

After the tests and examinations the doctor will be able to prescribe the correct treatment.

Treatment of polycystosis

As already mentioned above, polycystic can last years in a latent form, so the patient consults a doctor already when the disease progresses and gives complications. The earlier the disease is detected and the sooner the treatment begins, the higher the chances of recovery. With pain, doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory and pain medications. If an infection has joined the disease, then antibacterial drugs are prescribed.

With elevated pressure, doctors prescribe antihypertensive drugs. Usually, such treatment is enough to relieve the aggravation. However, if the disease gives serious complications and threatens the patient's life, the cysts are removed surgically. In extreme cases, a donor kidney transplant is prescribed.

During the treatment of polycystic kidney disease, it is very important to follow a therapeutic diet. It is necessary to limit consumption of salt, protein foods, as well as products with a high glycemic index.