Kidney Patients Can Benefit More from Exercise

Recent modernization has brought about toxic drugs and substances that when taken in, can cause damage to our kidneys and give rise to kidney failure. Another emerging medical problem is chronic kidney disease which has become a more common illness nowadays. Chronic kidney disease is a medical condition affecting the kidneys by decreasing their ability to filter waste materials from the body and perform their other usual duties. When this happens the body no longer functions very well. Leaving you prone to many diseases such as hypertension, malnutrition, weak bones, anemia, electrolyte imbalance and nerve damage. Chronic kidney disease can also increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Chronic Kidney Disease

There are many causes of chronic kidney disease including high blood pressure, diabetes and other problems. These problems do not cause chronic kidney disease instantaneously but slowly develop over time. This is why early detection and treatment should be done for chronic kidney disease so that complications may not ensue including kidney failure, which may require dialysis or kidney transplantation for life.

Chronic kidney disease results from diabetes when blood sugar levels are too high, so that excess sugar causes damage not only to the kidneys but also to the other organs of the body such as the eyes, the blood vessels, the nerves and eyes. High blood pressure also gives rise to chronic kidney disease because it builds up pressure in the walls of the blood vessels and damages the kidneys and its blood vessels in turn, in addition to other complications such as strokes, heart attacks and other problems. Other problems that may give rise to chronic kidney disease include glomerulonephritis which is a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidneys, inherited diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, congenital malformations, lupus and other immune system disorders, kidney obstruction due to stones or tumors or prostate problems, and repeated urinary tract infections.

Chronic kidney disease may bring about symptoms such as fatigue and less energy, difficulty in concentrating, poor appetite, trouble sleeping, muscle cramping, swelling of the limbs, dryness and itchiness of the skin, puffiness of the eyes, and frequent urination. Anyone is prone to chronic kidney disease at an earlier age.

Chronic Kidney Disease and Exercise

Recently, a doctor from Leicester has been awarded the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinician Scientist Award to fund a study which will look into the effects of exercise on heart disease of patients who have chronic kidney disease while they are on dialysis. This is based on the observations of experts that heart disease and not kidney disease are the common cause of deaths of patients on dialysis. Patients who have chronic kidney disease are more likely to die from stroke and heart attacks.

This new study will focus on the benefits and effects of exercise on the heart health of patients with chronic kidney disease. About 130 patients with end stage kidney disease will be utilized in this study. This study will also confirm that exercise in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis is safe and can improve quality of life. The award recipient, Dr James Burton, has also commented that there are probably many reasons why people with chronic kidney disease are more prone to heart disease. The mechanisms behind the relationship of heart disease and chronic kidney disease should be looked into and considered so that more patients with chronic kidney disease can be prevented from having heart disease and stroke. The study also aims to encourage dialysis patients to engage in exercise such as cycling. It is said by the researcher that cycling or using an exercise bike is the best form of exercise for dialysis patients since it works many muscle groups and wouldn't interfere with chronic kidney disease treatment.

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