Medical dictionary

What are metabolic disorders?Metabolic disorders are different conditions that affect the body’s metabolism and ability to break down food. Metabolic disorders are commonly inherited from family where they have inherited a defective gene which results in enzyme deficiency.These are called inherited metabolic disorders. There are hundreds of different metabolic disorders and the symptoms, prognosis

What is nephrectomy? Nephrectomy is the surgical procedure in which all or part of the kidney is removed. It may require: Removal of part of the kidney (partial nephrectomy) Removal of the entire kidney, the surrounding fatty tissue, and possibly the adjoining adrenal gland, as well as nearby lymph nodes (radical nephrectomy) It is an intervention that is performed under general an

What is nephritic syndrome?       Nephritic syndrome refers to symptoms which occur as a result of kidney inflammation. Nephritic syndrome can be diagnosed when the following symptoms appear: Oedemas; fluid accumulation in the legs and face; Haematuria; which is the presence of blood in the urine; High blood pressure. If these symptoms are pre

What is nephrocalcinosis? Nephrocalcinosis is a kidney disorder in which an excess of calcium is deposited in the kidneys. It is common in premature babies and in most cases, both kidneys are affected. Nephrocalcinosis is related to kidney stones (nephrolithiasis), although it is not the same disease.   What are the symptoms of nephrocalcinosis? In many cases nephrocalcin

What is nephropathy? Nephropathy, also known as kidney disease, is any damage or disease to the kidneys. Nephropathy usually causes a loss of kidney function. If enough damage has occurred, you are considered to have kidney failure, a potentially fatal condition where the patient will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to replace the function of their kidneys. Kidney disease can be cla

What is nephrotic syndrome?      Nephrotic syndrome is a condition in which the patient has protein in the urine, low blood protein levels, high cholesterol levels, and triglycerides, as well as a risk for developing blood clots and oedema. Proteins are very important for building bones, muscles, and other infection fighting tissues. When the kidneys do not function as th

What is obesity?Obesity is a medical condition defined as having an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat on the body, enough so that it can be a risk to the health of the person.The most common way of classifying the amount of weight on the body, and what constitutes as a healthy balance, is the body mass index (BMI), which is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms, by your heig

What is PKD? Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic kidney disorder in which large cysts (big fluid sacs) form on the kidneys. These cysts increase kidney size and reduce functional tissue.    You should see a nephrologist for treatment. What are the symptoms? There are some cases where the symptoms are so mild that the person doesn’t realise they have this co

How does kidney disease affect someone who is pregnant?The effect on your pregnancy depends on the severity of the kidney disease you have. Generally, having kidney disease can increase your risk of:having a miscarriagedelivering a baby with low birth weightpre-eclampsiapremature birthstillborn childIf you have mild kidney disease, you only have a 20 per cent chance of pre-eclampsia, but if y