Overview

• Information for Patients and the Public (National Kidney Disease Education Program) (NKDEP)
• Kidney and Urological Diseases (National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse) (NKUDIC)

Condition Specific Sites

• National Kidney Foundation
• National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse
• National Kidney Disease Education Program

Symptoms

• 10 Symptoms of Kidney Disease (Life Options Rehabilitation Program)
• Acute Kidney Failure:
  • Fluid retention
  • Bleeding, often in your stomach or intestines
  • Confusion
  • Seizures
  • Coma
• Chronic Kidney Failure
  • High blood pressure
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Anemia
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Malaise or fatigue
  • Headaches that seem unrelated to any other cause
  • Decreased urine output
  • Decreased mental sharpness
  • Muscle twitches and cramps
  • Bleeding in the intestinal tract
  • Yellowish-brown cast to the skin
  • Persistent itching
  • Sleep disorders
• End-Stage Renal Disease
  • Anemia
  • High blood pressure
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Bone disease
  • Digestive tract problems
  • Loss of mental functioning (dementia)

Diagnosis

• 24-Hour Urine Collection (National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center)
• Albumin Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Calcium Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)
• Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) (National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center)
• Hematuria (Blood in the Urine) (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)
• Intravenous Pyelogram (Patient Education Institute)
• Kidney Biopsy (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)
• Magnesium Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Microalbumin and Microalbumin/Creatinine Ratio (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Total Protein and Albumin/Globulin Ratio Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Ultrasound: Abdomen (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)

Treatments

• Treat the condition (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc) that caused the kidney disease
• Diet low in fluid, carbohydrates, proteins, and potassium
• Hemodialysis
• Peritoneal Dialysis
• Kidney Transplant

Anatomy

• Your Kidneys and How They Work (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)

Ogranizations and Patient-Centered Sites

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• National Kidney Foundation