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Lifespan & End Stage Renal Failure

End Stage Renal Failure happens when the kidney cannot perform its daily functions. An estimated 485,000 Americans are currently being treated for this, and each year more then 90,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with it, according to the National Kidney Foundation. (see reference 1)

  1. Causes

    • Diabetes type 1 and 2, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and congenital disorders such as blockage of the urinary tract are the most common causes of End Stage Renal Failure. Anything that can harm or age the kidney can lead to End Stage Renal Failure. (see reference 2)

    Symptoms

    • End Stage Renal Failure occurs when the kidney function is below 10 percent of normal capacity. The body has difficulty producing urine, if it can make any at all. According to the urology department at the University of California Los Angeles,other symptoms can include loss of appetite, fatigue, headache, confusion, nausea, vomiting, seizures, itchy skin, generalized swelling, yellow skin tone, and easy bruising or bleeding.

    Treatment

    • There are only two treatments once renal failure sets in: dialysis and transplant. There are two kinds of dialysis. Hemodialysis is the process where the blood is taken from the body to a hemodialyzer, cleaned and then returned. Peritoneal dialysis is where a tube is placed in the abdomen and a solution is pumped in that washes around the intestines and is later drained out. (see reference 5) Transplants can come from a living or dead donor and are the only way to cure End Stage Renal Failure, but organ transplant has its own dangers. (see reference 3)

    Lifespan

    • Untreated End Stage Renal Failure is terminal and quick. Dialysis can lengthen a person's life but according to the medical college of Wisconsin, 25 percent of people with the disease die after one year,and 60 percent die after five years. About 20 percent of patients die after they stop dialysis. (See reference 4) Many factors help determine life expectancy, and open communication with a doctor is key.

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