Kidney failure is often described as a silent disease, because many patients only discover their condition at an advanced stage. Speaking to Tunisie Numérique, Dr. Badreddine Ben Khalifa, associate professor of urology and specialist in clinical sexology, warned about the early signs that may herald a kidney problem as well as the groups of people most exposed.
A disease that progresses in several stages
According to Dr. Ben Khalifa, the deterioration of kidney function occurs progressively. Kidney failure represents the final stage of this progression, but any decrease in kidney function does not necessarily mean that failure has already set in.
The specialist explains that the disease does not always present clear symptoms at the beginning. However, some early signs can constitute alerts.
Symptoms often ignored
Among the signs that may appear in the early phases, the doctor notably cites:
When the disease reaches a more advanced stage, other complications can occur, such as:
Two major causes of kidney failure
Dr. Ben Khalifa distinguishes two main types of causes.
The first category is related to nephrological diseases, notably :
When the blood pressure pumped by the heart is insufficient, the kidneys receive less blood, which gradually leads to a decline in their functioning, observable later in biological analyses.
The second category concerns obstructive urological causes, usually related to :
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kidney stones blocking the urinary tract
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some malformations or anomalies of the urinary tract
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people with a single kidney, who face a higher risk in case of complication.
The often overlooked role of the prostate
The specialist also emphasizes often overlooked information: prostate diseases can, in some cases, cause chronic kidney complications, potentially evolving into severe kidney failure requiring dialysis.
The importance of early screening
To avoid reaching serious stages, Dr. Ben Khalifa stresses the need for regular screening, especially in people suffering from :
These patients should regularly consult a specialist and undergo creatinine analyses, which allow evaluating kidney function and detecting anomalies early.
According to him, early diagnosis remains the best way to prevent progression to kidney failure and its serious complications.
