Kidney Failure Treatment: Understanding Options & Management

Treatment for kidney not filtering properly (kidney failure) depends on the severity of the condition and the underlying cause.

For acute kidney failure, the goals of treatment are to:

- Correct the underlying cause of the kidney failure, if possible.

- Support the kidneys until they can recover. This may involve:

- Dialysis, which is a process of removing waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are not able to do so.

- Managing fluid and electrolyte levels in the body.

- Providing nutritional support.

- Medications to treat the underlying cause of the kidney failure or to manage the symptoms of kidney failure.

For chronic kidney failure, the goals of treatment are to:

- Slow the progression of the disease. This may involve:

- Medications to control blood pressure and cholesterol.

- lifestyle modifications, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking.

- Manage the symptoms of kidney failure. This may involve:

- Dialysis.

- Medications to control fluid and electrolyte levels in the body.

- Providing nutritional support.

- Treating anemia and other complications of kidney failure.

Kidney transplantation may be an option for some people with chronic kidney failure. Kidney transplantation is the surgical removal of a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor and its implantation into the recipient.