Key Uremia Symptoms Every Biology Student Should Know
Uremia is a pathological condition that occurs when our kidneys become damaged. Toxins and organic waste products such as urea and creatinine end up in the bloodstream, posing a great danger to the body. Moreover, elevated concentrations of urea in the blood also lead to other imbalances associated with hormones, electrolytes, fluids and many metabolic irregularities.
For this reason, urea can be life-threatening and a significant indicator of renal failure. It could also lead to chronic kidney disease.
Let’s learn more about uremia signs and symptoms.
Uremia Symptoms
In the beginning, chronic kidney disease may not show any symptoms at all. However, by the time the body begins to show signs of uremia, the kidneys are already acutely damaged. Uremia may cause an individual to show some very troublesome symptoms. These are –
Nausea or vomiting.
Headaches.
Loss of appetite.
Extreme fatigue.
Cramps in various body parts.
Inability to concentrate.
What is Renal or Kidney Failure?
Kidneys help the body to get rid of unwanted waste materials that are by-products of metabolism. Urea is a very significant by-product of metabolism. Our kidneys help to filter out the unwanted waste from the bloodstream and then send it to the bladder and through the ureter for excretion.
Consequently, when the kidneys fail to do so, the waste materials accumulate in the bloodstream leading to azotaemia.
By and large, when the kidneys are damaged enough to create symptoms, azotemia finally leads to uremia. This can trigger a series of hypoglycemic reactions that can cause diabetes, and if proper treatment and medication are not administered, the body could suffer serious harm.
Rack Your Brains: Ask your teacher or look up the Internet for what is uremia. Look for symptoms and case studies. Then write them down in your notebook.
Pop Quiz 1
Which of these are uremia symptoms?
Extreme fatigue
Nausea
Loss of vision
Both (a) and (b)
Uremia Causes
Extreme and irreversible damage to the kidneys, such as chronic kidney disease usually causes uremia. As a result, the kidneys malfunction and are no longer able to filter out waste from the body’s metabolism and excrete them through urine. The waste soon accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to a life-threatening situation.
There are many factors that cause chronic kidney disease and subsequent uremia. For instance, a person with high blood pressure could experience renal and kidney failure. Some other causes are:
Recurring kidney infections.
Stones in the kidney that cause blockage in the urinary tract for a long span of time.
Cancer.
An enlarged prostate gland.
Inflammation of tubules in the kidney and surrounding structures.
Inflammation of glomeruli, the filtering units in the kidneys.
Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes.
Polycystic kidney disease.
Revise what you have learnt so far with the following quiz.
Pop Quiz 2
Which of these can cause uremia?
Lactic acid production.
Heartburn.
Enlarged prostate gland.
None of the above.
Uremia Treatment
By the time an individual experiences symptoms of uremia, the kidneys are already extensively damaged. The primary treatment for uremia is dialysis. Dialysis removes waste substances, toxins such as creatinine and extra fluids from the blood, which is otherwise done by the kidneys. Mainly, there are two kinds of dialysis. These are –
Peritoneal Dialysis: In peritoneal dialysis, a small tube called a catheter is inserted into the abdomen of a uremic individual. A fluid is filled into the abdomen. It absorbs all the extra waste and unwanted fluids. Eventually, the residues are removed from the body, and they are drained out.
Haemodialysis: In this technique, a machine is employed to remove the waste from the bloodstream.
One can also undergo a kidney transplant if the kidneys are too damaged for dialysis. This is called the end-stage of renal failure. In a kidney transplant, a healthy kidney is obtained from a willing donor and then transplanted into the diseased individual’s body.
Regenerative medicine, currently a field of much research, is also a viable option to deal with damaged kidneys. This process uses cells from other parts of the body to help heal the kidneys.
In conclusion, kidney or renal failure caused by uremia can be prevented in several ways. For example, taking active steps to control diabetes and ensure good cardiovascular health is a good way to avoid kidney failure. Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and keeping healthy blood pressure are also some ways to prevent uremia and renal failure.
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FAQs on What Is Uremia? Signs, Causes & Treatment
1. What is uremia as per the CBSE Biology syllabus?
Uremia is a serious medical condition characterised by the abnormally high accumulation of urea and other nitrogenous waste products in the blood. This occurs when the kidneys are unable to filter these substances effectively, leading to a state of toxicity. It is considered a major complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
2. What are the key differences between uremia and azotemia?
While both terms relate to waste products in the blood, they are not the same. Azotemia refers to the elevated levels of nitrogenous waste products (like urea and creatinine) in the blood, which can be detected by a lab test and may not have symptoms. Uremia, however, is the clinical syndrome that results from severe azotemia. It includes the actual signs and symptoms of illness caused by the toxic effects of these waste products on the body's systems.
3. What are the main causes that lead to the development of uremia?
Uremia is primarily caused by conditions that lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or severe kidney damage. The main causes include:
- Chronic kidney diseases like glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the glomeruli).
- Long-term, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder causing cysts to grow in the kidneys.
- Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract due to kidney stones or an enlarged prostate.
4. What are the common symptoms a person with uremia might experience?
The symptoms of uremia reflect the widespread toxic effects of waste products on the body. Common signs include:
- Persistent nausea and vomiting.
- Fatigue and lethargy.
- Loss of appetite and a metallic taste in the mouth.
- Difficulty concentrating and mental confusion (uremic encephalopathy).
- Muscle cramps or twitching.
- Swelling (edema) in the legs, feet, or ankles.
5. Why does kidney failure specifically cause the accumulation of urea in the blood?
The kidneys are the body's primary filtration system. Each kidney contains millions of tiny filtering units called nephrons. In a healthy person, blood passes through the nephrons, where waste products like urea are removed and excreted in urine. When the kidneys fail, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) drops significantly. This means the nephrons lose their ability to filter blood effectively, causing urea and other wastes to be retained in the bloodstream instead of being passed out of the body.
6. How is uremia diagnosed, and what are the key indicators in a blood test?
Uremia is diagnosed through a combination of physical examination and laboratory tests. The key indicators are found in blood and urine tests. A blood test will show significantly elevated levels of Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine. A doctor will also assess the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR); a very low eGFR indicates that the kidneys are not functioning properly and is a hallmark of the condition leading to uremia.
7. How does the high concentration of urea in the blood affect other organs and systems?
The toxic effects of high urea levels are systemic and affect multiple organs. For example, it can cause uremic encephalopathy, affecting the brain and leading to confusion and lethargy. In the cardiovascular system, it contributes to pericarditis (inflammation of the sac around the heart). It also affects the digestive system, causing nausea and loss of appetite, and can lead to anemia by suppressing the production of erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the kidneys.
8. What is the principle of haemodialysis, the primary treatment for uremia?
Haemodialysis is a medical procedure used to artificially filter the blood of a uremic patient. The patient's blood is drawn from an artery and passed through a machine called a dialyzer, or "artificial kidney." Inside the dialyzer, the blood flows next to a special fluid called dialysate, separated by a semi-permeable membrane. Waste products like urea move from the blood into the dialysate based on the principle of diffusion. The cleaned blood is then returned to the body. This process effectively removes the toxic wastes that the failed kidneys cannot.
