Chronic Renal Failure Treatment Plan

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on March 27, 2025
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The treatment of chronic renal failure primarily requires a clear understanding of the cause, and treatment targeting the cause is essential to slow the progression of chronic renal failure. The most common causes of chronic renal failure are diabetes, hypertension, and chronic nephritis. Therefore, for patients with chronic renal failure caused by diabetes, insulin is often needed to control blood sugar. For patients with hypertensive kidney disease, antihypertensive drugs are certainly necessary to control blood pressure. However, in the early stages of renal failure, ACE inhibitors or ARBs are the preferred choices. For patients with chronic nephritis in the early stages, corticosteroid medications are required for treatment. However, if the serum creatinine has already exceeded 256 micromoles per liter, treatment then focuses mainly on managing complications, and corticosteroids are no longer used. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
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Principles of Treatment for Chronic Renal Failure

The principles of treatment for chronic renal failure include early-stage non-dialysis conservative treatment as well as end-stage renal replacement therapy. Non-dialysis conservative treatment includes delaying the progression of kidney damage, which requires treating the primary disease, implementing nutritional support, and controlling factors that accelerate kidney disease progression, such as controlling high blood pressure, proteinuria, and hyperlipidemia. Additionally, it is necessary to eliminate metabolic waste from the body, and maintain the body's water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance. Renal replacement therapy includes hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplant therapy.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can chronic renal failure become pregnant?

Although patients with renal failure are not absolutely unable to become pregnant, pregnancy is ultimately a burden on the kidneys. Pregnant patients with renal failure may experience further deterioration of kidney function and may face numerous complications during pregnancy, such as heart failure, severe anemia, etc., which may pose some risks. However, there are still very rare case reports, including successful pregnancies in patients on dialysis for uremia, but the probability of this is extremely small, and the risks involved are too great. Generally speaking, it is not recommended for female patients with chronic renal failure to become pregnant.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can chronic renal failure be cured?

Chronic kidney failure is irreversible and incurable, with no possibility of kidney function recovery. There are many causes of chronic kidney failure, commonly including diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, chronic nephritis, polycystic kidney disease, etc. These causes affect the kidneys over the long term, resulting in extensive damage to kidney tissues. Since kidney tissues cannot regenerate, chronic kidney failure is incurable and irreversible. Patients with chronic kidney failure still require treatment to control the underlying causes leading to the condition, aiming to slow down the progression of the disease as much as possible, prolong the patient’s life, and ensure the quality of life. This is the primary goal of treatment.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Chronic Renal Failure Treatment Plan

The treatment of chronic renal failure primarily requires a clear understanding of the cause, and treatment targeting the cause is essential to slow the progression of chronic renal failure. The most common causes of chronic renal failure are diabetes, hypertension, and chronic nephritis. Therefore, for patients with chronic renal failure caused by diabetes, insulin is often needed to control blood sugar. For patients with hypertensive kidney disease, antihypertensive drugs are certainly necessary to control blood pressure. However, in the early stages of renal failure, ACE inhibitors or ARBs are the preferred choices. For patients with chronic nephritis in the early stages, corticosteroid medications are required for treatment. However, if the serum creatinine has already exceeded 256 micromoles per liter, treatment then focuses mainly on managing complications, and corticosteroids are no longer used. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
1min 22sec home-news-image

Symptoms of chronic renal failure

The clinical symptoms of chronic renal failure vary at different stages. In the compensatory and early decompensatory stages of chronic renal failure, patients may experience no symptoms or only mild discomforts such as fatigue, back pain, and increased nocturia, while a few may suffer from reduced appetite, metabolic acidosis, and mild anemia. The main clinical symptoms include disorders of water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance, presenting metabolic acidosis, sodium retention or hypovolemia, or hyponatremia, along with hyperkalemia. Moreover, there are significant manifestations of excess phosphorus and calcium deficiency. Patients may also experience disruptions in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. Cardiovascular symptoms mainly include hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and uremic cardiomyopathy. Gastrointestinal symptoms can manifest as loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Hematological manifestations may include renal anemia and a tendency to bleed.