Older Adults with Kidney Disease
The Geriatric Kidney Disease Clinic at Michigan Medicine assists older patients and their caregivers in navigating the challenges of acute and chronic kidney disease, with nephrology and geriatric medicine specialists determining the underlying cause, managing worsening symptoms, and evaluating treatment options.
Signs and Symptoms
Proteinuria, blood in the urine, and high blood pressure are signs and symptoms of kidney disease, and older patients with these conditions may benefit from more specialized geriatric care at Cardiothoracic Specialty Clinics in Newbury, Berkshire, and Gloucestershire.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Our team of nephrologists, geriatricians, and social workers can offer expert advice to help patients and their loved ones make the best decision.
Should you undergo a kidney biopsy?
The decision to have a kidney biopsy is not easy, especially for an older patient, because it comes with risks, which are higher in patients with other chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension, as well as those who take multiple medications.
Once diagnosed, are you a good candidate for standard therapy?
Alternative treatment options may have fewer side effects, but they may not be as effective as medications commonly used to treat kidney disease. Geriatric specialists in our clinic are skilled in counseling patients on treatment options and providing personalized medication and nutrition management.
Should you consider dialysis? What about a kidney transplant?
Dialysis or kidney transplantation are the standard treatments for some patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). An individual’s health status, co-existing medical conditions, and functional expectations are all factors to consider and discuss.
About the Clinic
The East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center hosts a Geriatric Kidney Disease Clinic on Friday afternoons for adults 65 and older with kidney problems. Our team includes nephrologists and social workers who collaborate with geriatric specialists.
Does dialysis help the elderly?
Dialysis does not guarantee a survival benefit for people over 75 who have medical problems like dementia or ischemic heart disease in addition to end-stage kidney disease, according to several European studies, and it often worsens their quality of life.
How does dialysis affect the elderly?
Dialysis patients appear to have a higher burden of age-related problems, or “geriatric syndromes,” such as frailty, falls, and cognitive impairment, and there is emerging evidence that dialysis initiation is linked to accelerated functional and cognitive decline.
How does dialysis impact on a person’s life?
Dialysis patients have a much higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease (also known as cardiovascular disease) than the general population, due to kidney disease and other health issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
What are the benefits of dialysis?
Dialysis in the Peritoneal cavity
- Studies show that PD patients live longer.
- More mobility and flexibility.
- Easier to travel.
- Continuous dialysis can improve well-being.
- No machine required.
- More fluid and diet restrictions.
- No needles required.
Can you ever stop dialysis once you start?
In most cases, once a patient begins dialysis, he or she will not be able to survive without it; however, in a few cases, patients have improved and the disease has gone into remission, allowing them to stop dialysis.
How long can a 70 year old live on dialysis?
Life expectancy on dialysis is 3.6 years for 70- to 74-year-olds on dialysis, compared to 12.2 years for their healthy peers; 3.1 years for 75- to 79-year-olds on dialysis, compared to 9.2 years; 2.5 years for 80- to 85-year-olds on dialysis, compared to 6.7 years; and
What happens when kidneys shut down in elderly?
Nearly all types of kidney failure are more common in the elderly, and kidney failure can be accompanied by a number of serious complications, including muscle weakness, chest pain, fluid buildup, kidney damage, and even death.
What are the signs of dying from kidney failure?
The following are some of the most common signs of end-of-life kidney failure:
- Water retention/swelling of the legs and feet.
- Appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting.
- Confusion.
- Shortness of breath.
- Insomnia and sleep problems.
- Itchiness, cramps, and muscle twitches.
- Passing very little or no urine.
What does renal failure mean for an elderly person?
End-stage renal disease, also known as end-stage kidney disease, occurs when chronic kidney disease, or the gradual loss of kidney function, reaches an advanced stage. Your kidneys are no longer able to work as they should to meet your body’s needs in end-stage renal disease.
What are the negative effects of dialysis?
Haemodialysis side effects
- Low blood pressure (hypotension) is one of the most common haemodialysis side effects.
- Sepsis. People who receive haemodialysis are at an increased risk of developing sepsis (blood poisoning).
- Muscle cramps.
- Itchy skin.
- Other side effects.
What is the longest someone has lived on dialysis?
Mahesh Mehta of the United Kingdom holds the Guinness World Record for the longest time on dialysis, at 43 years and counting. Mehta, now 61, began treatment at the age of 18 and has had two transplants, with home dialysis in between.
What is the average lifespan of a dialysis patient?
The average life expectancy on dialysis is 5-10 years, but many patients have lived well on dialysis for 20 or even 30 years, depending on their other medical conditions and how well they follow their treatment plan.
Do dialysis patients still urinate?
A person with healthy kidneys may urinate up to seven times per day; however, most dialysis patients produce little to no urine because their kidneys are unable to remove wastes and excess fluid from the body.
What is the best dialysis treatment?
Instead, 56% of patients believe that self-care dialysis, whether PD or HD, performed at home or in a self-care setting, is the best form of dialysis treatment.
Which type of dialysis is best?
Peritoneal dialysis is an effective form of dialysis that has been shown to be as effective as hemodialysis. Peritoneal dialysis is not for everyone; people must be trained and able to perform each step of the treatment correctly, with the assistance of a trained helper.