Outpatient Clinic

Kidney function

A kidney is a bean-shaped organ, about the size of a small fist (11 cm) and weighs about 150 g. Most people have two kidneys.

Normal healthy kidneys regulate many processes in the body:

• Remove waste products from the body
• Remove excessive fluid
• Keep blood pressure under control
• Help generate red blood cells (EPO)
• Activate vitamin D, which keeps bones healthy and strong
• Regulate the acidity of the body
• Regulate the composition of the salts potassium, calcium, sodium and phosphorus

When the kidneys are not working properly, a lot can go wrong in the body.

The functions of the kidneys gradually decrease:

• They no longer filter the blood as they should, causing waste products to accumulate
• They no longer remove excessive fluid like they should
• Blood pressure often rises
• You may start suffer from anaemia or osteoporosis

The most common causes of chronic kidney failure are:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure and arterial decalcification
• Chronic infections or inflammations of the urinary tract
• Years of using painkillers
• Congenital kidney or urinary tract abnormalities (e.g. polycystic kidneys)
• Other causes, such as diseases of the kidney filters (glomerulonephritis),...

What are the symptoms you may have?

• Fatigue and/or loss of strength
• Swollen hands and feet
• Shortness of breath
• Strong weight gain in a short period of time
• Lack of appetite, bad taste in the mouth, vomiting, nausea, weight loss
• Itching, muscular cramps
• Urinary retention
• High blood pressure

The deterioration of your kidney function can be counteracted by:

• Adjusting medication
• A diet
• Advice to stop smoking
• Sufficient physical activity

However, this requires regular monitoring by your GP and kidney specialist. Depending on the severity of the kidney failure (renal insufficiency), this may be annually, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly.

By keeping a close watch on yourself, you can significantly slow down the deterioration of your kidney function. A chronic renal failure care programme is often offered. If necessary, we also call on the services of a dietician, social nurse...

When the functioning of your kidneys is so seriously impaired, you need a treatment that takes over the functioning of your kidneys - dialysis.

A few facts about your kidneys