nefrológia

Nefrologia is the medical specialty dedicated to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases. These diseases can affect the kidneys' ability to filter waste products from the blood, regulate blood pressure, maintain electrolyte balance, and produce hormones essential for red blood cell production and bone health. Nefrologists are physicians who specialize in this field.

The scope of nefrologia encompasses a wide range of conditions. These include acute kidney injury, which is a sudden loss of kidney function, and chronic kidney disease (CKD), a progressive and irreversible decline in kidney function over time. Other conditions treated within nefrologia include glomerulonephritis, a group of diseases affecting the glomeruli (tiny filters in the kidneys), polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder causing cysts to grow in the kidneys, and nephrolithiasis, commonly known as kidney stones. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is closely linked to kidney health, and nefrologists often manage patients with this condition, especially when it impacts or is impacted by kidney function.

Diagnosis in nefrologia typically involves a combination of patient history, physical examination, blood tests (to assess kidney function markers like creatinine and urea), urine tests (to detect protein, blood, or other abnormalities), and imaging studies such as ultrasounds or CT scans of the kidneys. Treatment approaches vary widely depending on the specific kidney condition and its severity. They can include lifestyle modifications, medications to manage blood pressure, control inflammation, or treat underlying causes, and in advanced cases, kidney replacement therapies like dialysis or kidney transplantation.