What does a nephrologist treat?

What does a nephrologist treat? Everything you need to know about the doctor who looks after kidney health and proper kidney function

The nephrologist and what he or she treats: a guide to the role of the specialist doctor who looks after the function of the kidneys and the urinary system. The nephrologist’s task is also to identify early those at risk of kidney disease.

The nephrologist is also specialized in diagnosing and treating kidney disease with appropriate therapies. The field of nephrology is also closely connected to the work of other specialists: cardiologist, diabetologist, hematologist, urologist, endocrinologist and internist. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach may therefore require a multidisciplinary team to manage the patient’s care in the best possible way.

Kidney diseases

The conditions treated by the nephrology specialist are varied, ranging from blood pressure control to anemia and mineral and bone metabolism. The nephrologist therefore diagnoses and treats kidney diseases such as glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, inherited polycystic kidney disease, kidney stones, acute and chronic kidney failure, high blood pressure and polycystic kidney. By prescribing specific treatments and therapies, the nephrologist also reduces cardiovascular risk and the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Warning signs

In its early stage, chronic kidney disease causes no symptoms and is silent, so it is important to pay attention to the so-called warning signs:

• Urinating a lot at night
• Red or dark urine
• Discomfort when urinating
• High blood pressure
• Edema
• Nausea and vomiting

A specialist visit to the nephrologist is useful when any of these problems or symptoms appear. Poor kidney function is often accompanied by other conditions, such as arterial hypertension (very often resistant to drug therapy) and diabetes. In other cases, kidney damage can result from recurrent urinary tract infections. Finally, there are diseases that depend on hereditary factors, such as polycystic kidney disease.

The warning signs, therefore, can be symptoms that allow early diagnosis and a treatment that can be useful for a complete cure. In other cases, however, kidney function tends to deteriorate progressively. There are conservative therapies that can slow or stop the progression of the disease, also preventing any negative consequences for other organs.

What does a nephrologist treat? What the kidneys are and what they do

The kidneys are organs that work as the body’s filter. They remove waste products and excess fluids in the form of urine; they also regulate blood pressure and certain hormones that regulate the production of red blood cells, and they also affect the health of the bones. They are located in the abdominal cavity and each of them is made up of one million nephrons, tiny units that ensure the kidneys work properly.

How a nephrology visit works

A nephrology visit starts with a careful medical history. In particular, the specialist reconstructs the patient’s personal and family medical history, identifying kidney-related problems and their possible causes. The specialist will then assess any changes in kidney function and any complications.

The nephrology visit serves to prepare the most useful treatment strategy to stop or slow the worsening of the disease and its possible complications. The patient will need to undergo periodic monitoring, which will also include an analysis of lifestyle and eating habits, so that any harmful behaviors can be corrected.

Tests prescribed by the nephrologist

The nephrologist’s work is supported by a number of tests that help complete the patient’s clinical picture. First, blood tests to determine serum creatinine, blood urea (azotemia), serum sodium, serum potassium, serum calcium and iron studies. A urine test is also prescribed in addition to these.

It may also be necessary to have the patient undergo other diagnostic tests such as ultrasound, renal scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging.

For more on the free nephrology visits that are periodically repeated at NefroCenter, follow the link.