Kidney Failure or End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- can occur because of acute illness such as a viral infection
- can develop over time from a chronic underlying cause such as diabetes, autoimmune diseases or untreated high blood pressure (hypertension)
- can be related to genetic pre-disposition such as polycystic kidney disease
- can be a secondary complication resulting from other medical conditions such as glomerulonephritis (inflammation that impacts the filtering structure of kidneys) or recurring renal infections
- in many scenarios, the underlying cause for kidney failure is unknown
Kidney failure is a progressive condition that requires treatment to help sustain life and to prevent or delay the onset of a spectrum of serious health complications