iv poz mag.qxd - Positive Living BC

issue 50.qxd:liv poz mag.qxd 9/3/07 4:04 PM Page 34
Your Body
The body’s waste
filtration system
Your kidneys play a critical role in your overall health
by Audrey Le
You probably don’t give a lot of thought to your
kidneys, yet they play an important role in your
overall health. Think of them as your body’s own
waste filtration system. And think of the ramifications if
that waste disposal system doesn’t function properly.
Each fist-sized kidney, located on either side of the
spine and halfway up the back, is comprised of a million
nephrons, which are tiny filtration units made of blood
vessels. They filter waste products and excess sodium and
water from your blood. All the blood in your body passes
through the kidneys 30 to 40 times over a 24-hour period.
During each cycle, the nephrons remove unwanted and
excess products from the body in the form of urine. The
regulation of water and waste in our blood is a crucial part
of maintaining our health. Kidneys use filtering
mechanisms and hormonal regulation to control blood
volume and pressure as well as the levels of electrolytes
and blood acidity.
When doctors talk about kidney health, they refer to
renal function. People with two healthy kidneys have 100
percent renal function, which is more than we actually need;
that’s why people do well with just one kidney. People with
renal function under 25 percent may face serious health
problems. Kidney disease is referred to as nephropathy.
The early stages of kidney disease are normally asymptomatic.
As kidney health worsens, you may experience
increased or decreased urination. Other symptoms include
trouble concentrating, muscle cramps, and swollen hands
and feet. Individuals suffering from end-stage renal disease
have total and permanent kidney failure. Unless treated
with kidney dialysis or with a kidney transplant, death may
be imminent.
HIV and kidney health
According to the Infectious Disease Society of America,
up to 30 percent of people living with HIV suffer from
abnormal renal function. Renal function is extremely
important for PWAs because the kidneys play a critical
role in processing medications. If renal function is poor,
the level of medications in the body may remain elevated
and may compromise treatment and overall health.
The two main causes of kidney disease are hypertension
(high blood pressure) and diabetes. Other risk factors for
PWAs include being of African descent, being older, having
a lower CD4 count, having a higher viral load, and having
hepatitis B or C.
Although hypertension is most often correlated with
heart disease, it can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys,
which prevent them from filtering waste properly. While
there’s no scientific evidence that HIV-positive people are
more likely to suffer from hypertension, taking control of
high blood pressure may reduce your risk of heart attack,
stroke, and kidney disease.
Diabetes is a disease that compromises the body’s ability
to break down glucose correctly, causing sugar levels to
remain high in the bloodstream. One of the consequences
of excess glucose in the body is that it damages the nephrons
in kidneys, thus affecting your body’s waste filtration. HIV-
34 living5 SeptemberqOctober 2007