Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic kidney failure, describes the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in your urine. When chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes can build up in your body.

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Symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease develop over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Signs and symptoms of kidney disease may include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Loss of appetite

• Fatigue and weakness

• Sleep problems

• Changes in how much you urinate

• Decreased mental sharpness

• Muscle twitches and cramps

• Swelling of feet and ankles

• Persistent itching

• Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart

• Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs

• High blood pressure (hypertension) that's difficult to control

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Causes:

Diseases and conditions that cause chronic kidney disease include:

• Type 1 or type 2 diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Glomerulonephritis - inflammation of the kidney's filtering units (glomeruli)

• Interstitial nephritis - inflammation of the kidney's tubules and surrounding structures

• Polycystic kidney disease

• Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract, from conditions such as enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some cancers

• Vesicoureteral reflux, a condition that causes urine to back up into your kidneys

• Recurrent kidney infection (pyelonephritis)

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Risk factors:

Factors that may increase your risk of chronic kidney disease include:

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease

• Smoking

• Obesity

• Being African-American, Native American or Asian-American

• Family history of kidney disease

• Abnormal kidney structure

• Older age

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Complications:

Chronic kidney disease can affect almost every part of your body. Potential complications may include:

• Fluid retention, which could lead to swelling in your arms and legs, high blood pressure, or fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema), or fluid around sac of heart (pericarditis) 

• A sudden rise in potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia),this could impair heart's ability to function properly and may be life-threatening

• Heart and blood vessel disease

• Weak bones and an increased risk of bone fractures

• Anemia

• Decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction 

• Damage to your central nervous system, which can cause difficulty concentrating, personality changes or seizures

• Decreased immune response, which makes you more vulnerable to infection

• Irreversible damage to your kidneys (end-stage kidney disease), eventually requiring either dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival

 

Prevention:

To reduce your risk of developing kidney disease:

•  When using nonprescription pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) follow the instructions on the package. Taking too many pain relievers could lead to kidney damage and generally should be avoided if you have kidney disease. Ask your doctor whether these drugs are safe for you.

• Maintain a healthy weight. 

  • If you're at a healthy weight, work to maintain it by being physically active most days of the week. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about strategies for healthy weight loss. Often this involves increasing daily physical activity and reducing calories.

• Don't smoke. 

  • Cigarette smoking can damage your kidneys and make existing kidney damage worse. If you're a smoker, talk to your doctor about strategies for quitting smoking. Support groups, counseling and medications can all help you to stop.

• Manage your medical conditions with your doctor's help.

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Lifestyle and home remedies:

• Diet to help support your kidneys and limit the work they must do. Depending on your situation, kidney function and overall health, your dietitian may recommend that you:

• Avoid products with added salt.

  •  Lower the amount of sodium you eat each day by avoiding products with added salt, including many convenience foods, such as frozen dinners, canned soups and fast foods. Other foods with added salt include salty snack foods, canned vegetables, and processed meats and cheeses.

• Choose lower potassium foods. 

  • High-potassium foods include bananas, oranges, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes (avoid these).

  • Low-potassium foods include apples, cabbage, carrots, green beans, grapes and strawberries.

  • Be aware that many salt substitutes contain potassium, so you generally should avoid them if you have kidney failure.

• Limit the amount of protein you eat. 

  • Seek out a dietitian. They will help estimate the appropriate number of grams of protein you need each day and make recommendations based on that amount.

  • High-protein foods include lean meats, eggs, milk, cheese and beans. (avoid these)

  • Low-protein foods include vegetables, fruits, breads and cereals.

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Treatment:

This depends on cause please clinic Mayo Clinic Diagnosis & Treatment link to see options

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