What Is Polycystic Kidney Disease?
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a hereditary disorder that is characterized by the formation of cysts (fluid-filled pouch-like structures) in the kidney, which causes the kidney to become enlarged. When the kidney becomes significantly inflated it loses the ability to function properly. Long-term kidney inflation can lead to kidney failure. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), approximately 600,000 people suffer from polycystic kidney disease in the United Sates.
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Types
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The primary type of PKD (about 90 percent of cases) is the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). There's a 50 percent chance that a person will develop ADPKD if one parent carries a defected gene. The symptoms of ADPKD generally appear in middle age (between 30 and 40 years), but may also appear during childhood. The other, rarer type of PKD is the autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), which occurs when both parents have defected genes. There's a 25 percent chance that a person will develop ARPKD if both parents carry a defected gene.
Causes
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According to Mayo Clinic, research has shown that there are two genes responsible for ADPKD and one gene responsible for ARPKD. People with a family history of PKD are more likely to suffer from the disease as it is passed down through the genes. In rare cases, a person suffering from PKD might have no family history of the condition.
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Symptoms
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It is possible for a person to suffer from mild polycystic kidney disease for a long time without experiencing the symptoms. The most common symptoms of PKD are abdominal or flank pain and headaches. Other symptoms include: high blood pressure, blood in urine, urinary tract infections, excessive need to urinate, enlarged abdomen and kidney stones.
Complications
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It is quite common for people to suffer from polycystic kidney disease and not know it. If left undiagnosed and untreated, PST can cause complications such as kidney failure, brain aneurysms, formation of cysts in other organs (like the liver and colon), abnormalities of the heart valve, and complications in pregnancy. High blood pressure is a common complication of PKD that can increase the chances of stroke and heart disease.
Treatment
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Since PKD is a genetic disorder, there is no cure for it. Treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms and reducing the chances of complications. The most important facet of PKD treatment is managing blood pressure (with medication and diuretics) to control disease progression and kidney damage. People suffering from kidney failure may need to get regular dialysis, or in extreme cases, a kidney transplant. In rare cases, the cysts may obstruct nearby organs and blood vessels and may need to be surgically drained.
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