Apollo Kidney Check - Basic in Medavakkam, Chennai

Curated by Dr Venkatesh Rajkumar, the Apollo Kidney Check - Basic test package comprises tests like urine routine, glucose serum, serum creatinine and GGT serum to understand if your kidneys are at risk. This is a routine kidney examination that is recommended for people who are witnessing signs like loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, frequent urination, and swelling in feet and ankles. This test is also taken by people who have a family history of kidney disorders.

Kidneys are the vital organ that helps expel urine from the body. They filter approximately a cup of blood every two minutes and remove the waste through urine.

In the cases of kidney dysfunction, the body begins accumulating fatal toxins that disrupt the healthy chemical balance. Over time, the kidneys stop working altogether, giving rise to uremia. This can result in either acute or chronic kidney failure.

Acute kidney failure begins abruptly without causing any symptoms. On the other hand, chronic kidney failure slowly progresses over three to five months before causing end-stage renal disease.

Since the symptoms of kidney failure resemble other medical conditions, it's essential to notice the early signs to acquire a complete kidney diagnosis. The symptoms of kidney dysfunction depend on the underlying cause giving rise to the condition.

The main symptoms of acute kidney failure comprise:

• Persistent weakness with fatigue 
• Fever 
• Nausea and abdominal pain 
• Muscle cramps and back pain 
• Less than usual or excess urine output 
• Manuals bleeding 
• Poor appetite 
• Pale skin 
• Inflammation 
• Growth of abdominal mass

The primary symptoms indicating chronic kidney failure include the symptoms of acute failure. Other signs of chronic kidney failure are:

• Headache
• Itching and dry skin 
• Urinary incontinence
• Recurrent infections of the urinary tract 
• Insomnia 
• Bad mouth odour 
• Lack of mental alertness 
• Odd metallic flavour in the mouth 
• Weak muscle tone

Kidney dysfunction can result from various conditions, from primary renal disorders such as IgA nephropathy, polycystic kidney disorder, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis etc., to systemic diseases.

These systemic conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure, multiple myeloma, lupus, interstitial disease, neoplasms and cystitis.

Kidney dysfunction can also occur due to a sudden accident causing injury in the kidney and increasing creatinine or urea.

After a thorough analysis of the patient's existing symptoms, doctors recommend a kidney function test for a comprehensive understanding. It includes 21 tests under three categories. The primary tests included in the examination are:
1. Kidney 

• Creatinine Serum: The creatinine serum test is a blood test that measures the level of creatinine, a waste product of muscle metabolism, in the blood, which can indicate how well the kidneys are functioning.
• Complete Urine Examination: This component of the kidney test analyses the presence of protein, blood and an imbalance of other elements through physical assessment, biochemical exam and microscopy. 

2. Diabetes

• Glucose Fasting: This assessment evaluates a person's blood glucose levels after an overnight fast, typically used to screen for diabetes.

3. Liver

• Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT): It is a blood test used to measure the levels of the GGT enzyme in the liver, which can help diagnose liver and bile duct diseases.

Depending on the cause of kidney dysfunction, doctors recommend suitable treatments. In treating kidney dysfunction, the doctor aims to remove the underlying causes of kidney failure.

It focuses on age, medication allergies, preferences and the patient’s overall health. Various treatments can include medications, diet restrictions, monitoring of vital parameters, and dialysis for extreme dysfunction.

Apollo 24|7 provides access to prompt kidney diagnosis through online test scheduling and home delivery of results with affordable kidney function test prices. In addition, it offers a certified digital healthcare platform with experts for sample collection and advanced technology for complex assessments.