Table of contents:
- What is uremic encephalopathy?
- Signs and symptoms of uremic encephalopathy
- Mild symptoms
- Severe symptoms
- What happens when kidney function decreases?
- How to diagnose this condition?
- How to treat uremic encephalopathy
The kidneys play a role in filtering unnecessary substances in the blood. If the kidneys do not function, of course there will be various problems that attack the health of the body. A form of complication that often occurs in patients with kidney disease is uremic encephalopathy.
What is uremic encephalopathy?
Uremic encephalopathy is a brain disorder that occurs in patients with acute renal failure and chronic renal failure. This condition is usually characterized by a decreased glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and remains below 15 mL / minute.
Most experts believe that this complication of kidney disease is caused by the buildup of urine toxins in the blood. This condition is also more common in patients undergoing hemodialysis and who are over 55 years of age.
If left untreated, uremic encephalopathy can cause the patient to become dazed and into a coma.
Signs and symptoms of uremic encephalopathy
The signs and symptoms of uremic encephalopathy vary from mild to severe. The severity of the symptoms of complications of kidney failure depends on how rapidly the kidney function declines.
Therefore, the signs and symptoms of this condition need to be recognized early to avoid the worst risk, namely coma. The following are some of the conditions that indicate uremic encephalopathy based on their severity.
Mild symptoms
Symptoms that include mild are:
- nausea and vomiting,
- anorexia,
- restless,
- easily sleepy,
- a sense of weakness, as well
- slows down cognitive function, such as difficulty concentrating and speaking.
If mild symptoms are treated more quickly, this brain disorder can be treated with dialysis.
Severe symptoms
If encephalopathy develops, you may experience the following symptoms, including:
- gag ,
- disorientation or dazed,
- emotional instability,
- seizures,
- decreased consciousness or fainting frequently, as well
- coma.
What happens when kidney function decreases?
Every day the body will produce a substance called urea. Urea is the waste product of protein metabolism which is excreted daily through the kidneys in the context of the urine formation process.
Urea in normal levels usually will not cause disturbances. However, when the kidneys are damaged, urea levels will increase and cause various diseases.
When kidney failure occurs, both acute and chronic, urea levels will increase rapidly because the kidneys are unable to get rid of waste and excess fluid. As a result, a buildup of urea in the blood occurs or is called uremia.
Uremia can trigger a disturbance neurotransmitters in the brain, such as decreased levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which is one of the brain neurotransmitters. As a result, uremic encephalopathy develops.
How to diagnose this condition?
If you experience the signs and symptoms mentioned, you should immediately consult a urologist. After that, the doctor will perform a physical examination regarding the symptoms experienced and ask about medical history.
In most cases, the doctor will also check your health to monitor mental and neurological related symptoms. Apart from that, they will also ask you to undergo various tests, such as the following.
- Kidney tests, such as blood urea and creatinine levels.
- Check blood electrolyte levels to see if there are any disturbances in electrolytes or not.
- Complete blood count to see the number of white blood cells or leukocytes in the urine that is a sign of infection.
- CT scan or MRI to detect any damage or abnormality in the brain.
- Test electroencephalogram (EEG) or brain record to measure electrical activity in the brain.
How to treat uremic encephalopathy
Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, the usual treatment for uremic encephalopathy is dialysis. Regardless of the cause, whether it's acute or chronic kidney failure, this condition is one of the reasons you need to get dialysis right away.
If the symptoms are so severe that the kidneys are completely damaged, you may need a kidney transplant.
The sooner dialysis is done, the faster the healing process will be. Apart from dialysis, the doctor will also give you a blood transfusion if your hemoglobin level is low.
Not only that, patients who experience seizures will be treated with special care. However, the doctor will diagnose beforehand whether the seizure is caused by uremic encephalopathy or other health problems.
