A
acute (uh-KYOOT):
Acute often means urgent. An
acute disease happens suddenly. It lasts a short time.
Acute is the opposite of chronic, or
long lasting.
acute renal (REE-nul)
failure:
Sudden and temporary
loss of kidney function. (See also
chronic kidney
disease.)
acute tubular
(TOO-byoo-lur) necrosis (neh-KRO-sis)
(ATN):
A severe form of acute
renal failure that develops in people with
severe illnesses like infections or with low blood
pressure. Patients may need dialysis.
Kidney function often improves if the
underlying disease is successfully treated.
albuminuria
(AL-byoo-mih-NOO-ree-uh):
More than normal amounts of a
protein called albumin in the urine.
Albuminuria may be a sign of kidney
disease.
allograft
(AL-oh-graft):
An organ or tissue
transplant from one human to another.
Alport syndrome (AL-port
SIN-drome):
An inherited condition that
results in kidney disease. It generally
develops during early childhood and is more serious in
boys than in girls. The condition can lead to
end-stage renal disease, as well as
hearing and vision problems. The common symptoms of
this condition are chronic blood and
protein in the urine.
amyloidosis
(AM-ih-loy-DOH-sis):
A condition in which a
protein-like material builds up in one or more organs.
This material cannot be broken down and interferes
with the normal function of that organ. In
kidneys, amyloidosis can lead to
proteinuria, nephrotic
syndrome, and kidney failure.
analgesic
(AN-ul-JEE-zik)-associated kidney disease:
Loss of kidney
function that results from long-term use of analgesic
(pain-relieving) medications. Analgesics that combine
aspirin and acetaminophen are most dangerous to the
kidneys.
anemia (uh-NEE-mee-uh):
The condition of having too few
red blood cells. Healthy red blood cells carry oxygen
throughout the body. If the blood is low on red blood
cells, the body does not get enough oxygen. People
with anemia may be tired and pale and may feel their
heartbeat change. Anemia is common in people with
chronic kidney disease or those on
dialysis. (See also
erythropoietin.)
antidiuretic
(AN-tee-DY-uh-RET-ik) hormone
(ADH):
A natural body chemical that
slows down the urine flow. Some children
who wet their beds regularly may lack normal amounts
of antidiuretic hormone.
anuria
(uh-NYOOR-ee-uh):
A condition in which the person
stops making urine.
arteriovenous
(ar-TEER-ee-oh-VEE-nus) (AV) fistula
(FIST-yoo-luh):
Surgical connection of an artery
directly to a vein, usually in the forearm, created in
patients who will need hemodialysis (see
dialysis). The AV fistula causes the
vein to grow thicker, allowing the repeated needle
insertions required for
hemodialysis.
autoimmune
(AW-toh-ih-MYOON) disease:
Any disorder in which the body
is attacked by its own immune system.
Examples are Goodpasture syndrome and
lupus erythematosus (see lupus
nephritis).
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B
biopsy (BY-op-see):
A procedure in which a tiny
piece of a body part, such as the kidney
or bladder, is removed for examination
under a microscope.
bladder (BLAD-ur):
The balloon-shaped organ inside
the pelvis that holds
urine.
blood urea (yoo-REE-uh)
nitrogen (NY-truh-jen) (BUN):
A waste product in the blood
that comes from the breakdown of food protein. The
kidneys filter blood to remove urea. As
kidney function decreases, the BUN level increases.
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C
calcium (KAL-see-um):
A mineral that the body needs
for strong bones and teeth. Calcium may form stones in
the kidney.
chronic (KRAH-nik):
Lasting a long time. Chronic
diseases develop slowly. chronic kidney
disease may develop over many years and lead
to end-stage renal disease.
chronic kidney disease
(CKD):
Any condition that causes
reduced kidney function over a period of time. CKD is
present when a patient's glomerular filtration
rate remains below 60 mL/min/1.73
m2 for more than 3 months.
congenital
(kun-JEN-ih-tul) nephrotic (nef-RAH-tik)
syndrome:
A genetic kidney
disease that develops before birth or in the first few
months of life. Congenital nephrotic syndrome usually
leads to end-stage renal disease and the
need for dialysis or a kidney
transplant by the second or third year
of life.
creatinine
(kree-AT-ih-nin):
A waste product from meat
protein in the diet and from the muscles of the body.
Creatinine is removed from blood by the
kidneys; as kidney disease progresses,
the level of creatinine in the blood increases.
creatinine clearance:
A test that measures how
efficiently the kidneys remove
creatinine and other wastes from the
blood. Low creatinine clearance indicates impaired
kidney function.
cyst (SIST):
An abnormal sac containing gas,
fluid, or a semisolid material. Cysts may form in
kidneys or in other parts of the body.
(See also renal
cysts.)
cystine (SIS-teen):
An amino acid found in blood and
urine. Amino acids are building blocks of protein.
(See also cystine stone and
cystinuria.)
cystine stone:
A rare form of kidney
stone consisting of the amino acid
cystine.
cystinuria
(SIS-tih-NOO-ree-uh):
A condition in which
urine contains high levels of the amino
acid cystine. If cystine does not
dissolve in the urine, it can build up to form
kidney stones.
cystitis (sis-TY-tis):
Inflammation of the
bladder, causing pain and a burning
feeling in the pelvis or
urethra.
cystoscope
(SIS-tuh-skope):
A tool for examining the
bladder. The procedure is called
cystoscopy (sis-TAH-skuh-pee).Renal Tubular
Acidosis
