Filter the doubts: Parameters to Keep Track on Kidney Health

The kidneys are the core cleaning system of the body and ensure the dumping of waste, the removal of unnecessary acid, the maintenance of blood pressure levels, the balancing of water and essential minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, etc. It is the powerhouse that maintains the beat of life.

As they are the vital for our body, it is our responsibility to keep a check to avoid major health issues.

In this blog, we will emphasise the importance of the kidney test, its various parameters, and what they reveal about general health.

What do Kidney Function Test’s parameters reveal?

Blood Urea Nitrogen

Blood Urea Nitrogen indicates how much nitrogen is present in urea and, if found in an excessive amount, gives a clear-cut signal of the possibility of kidney failure in the future.

The building of nitrogen in the blood itself indicates a problem with kidney function; therefore, regular testing is mandatory.

Creatinine Levels

Creatinine is the waste product of muscles that are cleaned out by the kidneys. If scanned in reports in excessive amounts, it poses a serious threat to kidney health.

Glomerular Filtration Rate

Glomerulus are the tiny structures present in the kidney that remove excretive fluids. Glomerular Filtration Rate effectively measures how well the kidneys are filtering out waste from the body. The higher GFR value indicates better kidney functioning, ensuring no future health issues.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes play a pivotal role in maintaining the overall health of the body. They are of four types, namely, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorous. If they are not accurately filtered out by the kidneys, then one’s health can be disturbed with major problems like hypertension, diabetes, and kidney failure.

Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio

UACR is measured in milligrams; albumin (a protein found in blood) and creatinine (a waste protein released by muscles) are measured in ratio. The test is taken through a morning urine sample.

The ideal level is 30 mg/g, and above that, it indicates a higher risk of kidney damage.

What are the alarming symptoms that need not to be avoided?

Symptoms are the sign that should be taken seriously before it will get too late.

Some of the frequent symptoms are:

• Change in the colour of urine
• Facial, feet and ankle soreness
• Frequent blood pressure
• Itching in the body
• Sudden vomiting after eating

What are the preventive measures for kidney health?

• Maintain adequate level of water in body, drink 6-8 glass of water in a day
• Cut down saturated fat, potassium and sodium from your diet
• Reduce the alcohol intake and quit your regular habit of smoking
• Maintain a balanced weight including protein and fibre
• Do meditation to avoid hypertension – as hypertension is directly linked to many health problems.

Conclusion

Your health is real wealth, and losing it can have serious consequences. Keeping track of your health is the key to avoiding future uncertainties.

By conducting kidney function tests, you can analyse how well you are. You can give a protection shield to your kidney and filter out future health consequences from life.

Remember, prevention is better than cure, and if you have any symptoms like swelling, itching, or high blood pressure, just rush to any health expert for proper medical care.

We, at Apollo Diagnostics, are here to help you out by giving an accurate analysis of your kidney health with kidney function tests.

Feel free to get expert medical care from us.