Uremia is a pathological condition resulting from the accumulation of protein metabolism products in the blood. In a he althy person, these metabolic products are excreted in the urine. It is important to diagnose the disease in time and take measures, because then serious consequences may occur. You need to know what uremia is in humans and animals and how to prevent the development of this disease. Yes, yes, pathology occurs not only in humans, but also in our smaller brothers, which requires their immediate examination by a veterinarian.
Symptomatics
Uraemia gradually develops. Symptoms at first are not too pronounced and are manifested by headache, weakness, fatigue. A blood test will show the presence of creatinine, urea, and residual nitrogen in it. Nitrogen-containing substances and urea, which accumulate in the blood, are intensively excreted by the skin in the later stages. This condition is called "hoarfrost" on the skin or "uremic powder". It provokes the development of pericarditis, pleurisy, laryngotracheitis, colitis, uremic gastritis (vomiting, nausea, anorexia). Intoxication of the body leads to a violationfunctions of the liver and brain. Vision and hearing are also impaired, thrombocytopenia and anemia are on the rise.
Reasons
Few people think about the reasons why uremia occurs. What are these reasons, meanwhile, it is very important to know. The disease does not develop on its own, it is provoked by other disorders in the body. Among the immediate causes of uremia are chronic or acute kidney failure.
The most common factors for the development of uremia are kidney cancer. The disease can also occur against the background of inflammatory processes of the kidneys, which are divided into autoimmune and purulent. Doctors often call various forms of urolithiasis the cause of the pathology. The correct diagnosis in this case allows you to put renal colic.
Uremia can be caused not by nephrological, but by systemic diseases. Uremic state ends with kidney damage in diabetes, tuberculosis or hypertension. The disease can occur against the background of chemical systemic intoxications and poisoning with poisonous mushrooms.
Symptoms of Azotemic Uremia
Many patients are diagnosed with "azotemic uremia". What is it and how to deal with the disease? The disease occurs against the background of chronic renal failure, as a result of self-poisoning of the body. This is the most serious complication that ends with nephrosclerosis. In addition to the general symptoms characteristic of the uremic condition of the patient, others appear with azotemia uremia. Violationsin the functioning of the kidneys lead to disturbances in the body's acid-base balance and mineral composition. As a result of the accumulation of acidic foods, acidosis develops.
Stages of disease
The development of azotemic uremia can be divided into two periods. The first is hidden, and in this case, the pathology can be detected only with the help of special studies. In the second period, a well-defined picture of chronic uremia appears. At an early stage, renal failure can be determined based on the results of the study of urea, glomerular filtration, electrolytes. Identification of the disease in the latent period is possible after examining the excretory function of the kidneys.
Depending on the state of glomerular filtration and the level of azotemia, there are three stages of chronic kidney failure: initial, severe and terminal.
Clinical picture of Azotemic uremia
Clinically, the disease manifests itself in the form of trophic, neurological and dyspeptic disorders. Patients suffer from frequent vomiting, nausea, dry mouth, thirst, aversion to food, loss of appetite. The skin acquires a pale yellow hue, itching worries. The disease is accompanied by diarrhea, enterocolitis, gingivitis, stomatitis.
Neurological disorders are manifested in the form of lethargy, adynamia, apathy. There are circulatory disorders. In patients, hearing and vision are significantly reduced, they are worried about excruciating itching of the skin. Uremia, the symptoms of which in the final stage lead to the development of terminalendocarditis, can be fatal.
Forecast
The progression of the disease in most cases leads to the death of the patient. It can develop quickly or slowly. The patient's condition can be affected by bleeding, surgery, childbirth, infections. Death occurs as a result of intercurrent infection, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, circulatory failure, intoxication of the body. In the initial stage of uremia, the prognosis is more favorable. The terminal stage leaves almost no chance to survive.
Where to go?
Uremia, the symptoms, treatment and diagnosis of which are closely related, does not tolerate slowness. The sooner the disease is detected and the fight against it begins, the more chances the patient has for recovery. In order not to waste time in vain, you need to know which doctor to contact. If the symptoms of uremia in a person are accompanied by symptoms of urolithiasis, then a urologist can help in this case. He will diagnose and prescribe adequate and effective treatment.
In the case when uremia of the kidneys can be of oncological origin, you need to contact an oncologist. Chronic systemic diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis) give a reason to consult a general practitioner before going for a consultation with a urologist.
Clinical Diagnosis
What to do if a person is faced with symptoms that are characteristic of a disease such as uremia? That this is very dangerous for life, he must understand from the first minute andcontact a specialist immediately. The hospital will refute or confirm suspicions, conduct a full diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.
The first step in diagnosing uremia is a biochemical blood test, with which you can determine the level of creatinine and urea. It is also necessary to determine the level of protein in the blood. If suspicions of uremia are confirmed, then a number of instrumental and laboratory examinations are then carried out in order to identify the cause. It can sometimes be determined by a general urine test. When this study is not enough, ultrasound diagnostics, excretory urography, computed tomography are performed.
Drug therapy
Treatment of uremia is based on syndromic therapy, not symptomatic, because this disease is a syndrome that includes different symptoms. Treatment can be carried out with the help of hardware or drug therapy.
The medical treatment for uremia is detoxification and rehydration therapy. Based on the severity of the patient's condition, a certain amount of drugs is prescribed. In some situations, drug treatment is the patient's only hope. Mostly this method is used in the initial stages, when more serious methods cannot be applied.
Hematology dialysis
Uraemia can be eliminated not only with the help of medicines. Symptoms and treatment may vary. In cases where the disease is no longer amenable to the action of drugs, it is treated usinghematological dialysis. It is considered the most preferred method today. Hematological dialysis is carried out using a special apparatus, popularly known as an "artificial kidney". Human blood is passed through the device, while removing pathological metabolic products from it. The fear of patients to undergo hematological dialysis is explained by the widespread opinion about getting used to the “artificial kidney”. This has not been practically confirmed and has no scientific basis for existence. Moreover, in some cases, a person's life can be saved only by using the apparatus. Hematological dialysis is aimed at restoring the normal state of uremia, and then etiological treatment is carried out to eliminate the primary cause of the pathology.
Treatment with folk remedies
Sometimes patients do not think about what uremia is fraught with, that it is life-threatening. They ignore the fact that it can only be treated in special institutions under the supervision of a doctor. Often, patients resort to treatment with folk remedies, which is strongly not recommended for such a pathology. Turning to alternative medicine takes precious time and can turn out to be very unfavorable for the patient.
Complications
Uremia itself is no longer a complication of renal failure, but at the same time it is not the end point in the development of pathology. The lack of normal treatment complicates the patient's condition, and chronic uremia develops. It is caused by damage to the nerve structures of the brain.brain with urinary toxins, which leads to the development of renal encephalopathy. The symptoms of uremia are also joined by memory lapses, tremors of the limbs, severe headache, periodic fainting. Patients eventually enter a state of stopper, which is accompanied by severe inhibition, loss in space. Untimely hospitalization can result in a renal or uremic coma for the patient, which is characterized by deep noisy breathing, prolonged loss of consciousness, ammonia breath, pupillary constriction. Of the signs of life in the patient, only breathing and a weak pulse are observed. Renal coma in most cases ends in death, with a uremic patient has every chance of surviving, but with further intellectual failure.
Animal disease
What is uremia in humans, we have already managed to find out. But this disease is quite common among animals. Not every owner of a cat or dog knows about the causes and methods of treating the disease, and this is simply necessary to ensure the safety of the pet. For an animal, this disease is no less a threat than for humans. Uremia in cats and dogs is associated with the toxic effects of nitrogenous waste throughout the body, which, due to improper functioning of the kidneys, are released into the blood. The disease is divided into acute and chronic. The acute form of uremia in animals is caused by acute renal failure due to poisoning, sepsis, dehydration, trauma, burns, circulatory disorders.
In practice, more often you have to deal with the chronic form, whichdevelops as a result of chronic kidney disease (tumor, kidney stones, nephritis). Uremia in cats, the symptoms of which are quite noticeable, is recognized by external signs. The animal loses its appetite, lethargy, nausea, and vomiting appear. Over some time, the coat loses its attractive appearance and becomes unpleasant to the touch, the animal rapidly reduces weight, and the smell of ammonia is felt from its oral cavity. You should not take any measures for treatment on your own, this can only do harm. Take your pet to the vet right away.
Diagnosis and treatment of uremia in animals
First of all, the doctor must conduct a blood test, which will show all deviations from the norm in the state of the animal's body. If the disease is not treated, it causes a violation of other organs and systems. In particular, the work of the brain and liver is disrupted, anemia increases and bleeding occurs. Chronic renal failure leaves little chance for the animal to survive.
At the diagnosis of uremia, urgent hospitalization of the pet is necessary. The veterinary institution will constantly monitor the general condition of the animal, the work of the heart and respiratory system, and the state of the blood. The clinic will also take measures aimed at stabilizing and improving the condition of the pet.
Pet owners should be aware that uremia poses a direct threat to the animal's life. If you do not pay attention to the pathological condition in time, the pet mayperish.
