Can Kidney Problems Cause Diarrhea and Other Diseases?

October 11, 2022October 11, 2022 Ahsan Amaan Causes of Kidney Problems, Kidney Problems

You must be wondering can kidney problems cause diarrhea or other diseases. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESKD) most commonly complain of gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. Diarrhea negatively affects the patient’s quality of life and has different etiologies, such as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) and ischemic colitis. However, sometimes it is extremely difficult to determine the true etiology due to the comorbidities and complications that patients have. A rare cause of diarrhea is ulcerative colitis (UC), which commonly involves the rectum and proximal colon continuously. UC with rectal sparing or segmental distribution, although atypical, sometimes leads to misdiagnosis. Here we present a case of UC in a hemodialysis patient with intractable diarrhea; we initially thought the diarrhea was due to CDAD and ischemic colitis.

Acute kidney failure:

Acute renal failure is a sudden, precipitous decline in kidney function caused by toxins or conditions leading to tissue hypoxia. You can divide Acute renal failure into three classes according to origin: prerenal failure, primary renal failure, and postrenal failure. Acute kidney failure may lead to a buildup of fluid in your lungs, which can cause shortness of breath, Kidney problems cause chest pain. If the lining that covers your heart (pericardium) becomes inflamed, you may experience chest pain. Symptoms of acute renal failure are oliguria and anuria, edema, hypotension, congestive heart failure, and elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels. You can follow the condition by recovery or progression to chronic renal failure if severe.

Kidney problems that cause diarrhea:

Diarrhea can cause or worsen kidney failure.
In the case of diarrhea, there will be a sharp drop in the effective volume of blood throughout the body
Blood flow can be reduced through the kidneys, causing hypoperfusion in the kidneys.
Unclean foods can cause gastrointestinal infections, which can also cause kidney damage.
diarrhea can cause dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, malnutrition, and a disturbed internal environment.
This results in kidney damage and loss of kidney function and kidney failure.
Kidney failure can be caused by diarrhea And it can reverse with early and proper treatment.
Patients will often have obvious symptoms such as dehydration, decreased urine production, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, fatigue, leg swelling, back pain, etc. in case of kidney damage.
In case of these symptoms, early you should perform a test to rule out the possibility of acute renal failure.
Although most patients can recover, there are 10-20% of patients cannot have a full recovery of kidney function.
They gradually turn into chronic kidney failure and require long-term dialysis treatment to maintain life

Diarrhea and kidney problems:

Diarrhea is loose, watery stool.
Having diarrhea means passing loose stools three or more times a day. Acute diarrhea is a common problem that usually lasts for 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own.
Diarrhea lasting more than 2 days may be a sign of a more serious problem.
Chronic diarrhea- Diarrhea that lasts for at least 4 weeks may be a sign of a chronic illness.
Symptoms of chronic diarrhea may be persistent or may come and go.
Diarrhea of any duration can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluids and electrolytes—chemicals in salts, including sodium, potassium, and chloride—to function properly.
Loose stools contain more fluid and electrolytes and weigh more than solid stools.

Can kidney problems cause diarrhea?

Causes of diarrhea include bacteria from contaminated food or water.
Viruses that cause illness, such as flu parasites, which are tiny organisms found in contaminated food or water medicines, such as antibiotics, have problems digesting certain foods and diseases. It affects the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine, such as Crohn’s disease, problems with the functioning of the large intestine caused by disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome

What other symptoms and causes accompany diarrhea?

Diarrhea may be accompanied
Convulsions
Abdominal pain Nausea
An urgent need to use the bathroom is a loss of bowel control.
Some infections that cause diarrhea can also cause fever and chills or bloody stools.

Do Dehydration cause Diarrhea?

Diarrhea can cause dehydration.
Loss of electrolytes through dehydration affects the amount of water in the body, muscle activity, and other important functions.
Dehydration is especially dangerous for children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Dehydration must be treated immediately to prevent serious health problems such as organ damage, shock, or coma – a sleep-like state where a person is unconscious.

Conclusion:

Acute kidney injury is common and subsequent in patients hospitalized for diarrheal disease. Persons with CKD and hypertension are most susceptible, probably because of reduced renal reserve and the exacerbating effects of treatment with diuretics and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers. Proactive treatment of these unique pharmacologic and physiologic factors is essential to prevent AKI in this vulnerable population.