Complications
High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure, also known as Hypertension, is a common complication associated with Polycystic Kidney Disease. If left untreated, your PKD could get worse, your kidneys could become even more damaged, and you could be at risk for the multiple health problems associated with high blood pressure. These potential problems include artery damage, heart, brain, eye, and kidney problems. Aneurysms, strokes, and heart attacks are some of the more serious threats to the health of people with hypertension.
Kidney Failure
The more time that you have Polycystic Kidney Disease, the more kidney cysts that are likely to develop. Because of this, the risk of kidney failure grows as you age. That said, only about half of the people with PKD will have kidney failure by age 60. When the kidneys fail, they are unable to prevent waste from building to toxic levels in your body. For people who do experience kidney failure, kidney dialysis or kidney transplants may be needed.
Growth of Cysts in the Liver
The risk of developing cysts on the liver, in addition to the kidneys, increases with age. Because the cysts seem to transfer to nearby organs, coupled with the already unexpected and uncontrolled growth of cysts, people often think that Polycystic Kidney disease is cancerous. You shouldn’t worry about this. It is not cancerous. Malignant tumors are masses of cells that grow in a violent and uncontrollable manner. Cysts are membranous sacs of fluid. They do not spread like cancerous tumors and in fact are very different things.
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Did you know...
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- Have you ever told your husband something and he promptly forgets it? It's not his fault, actually. It really is because he's a man. The hippocampus (the part of the brain that deals with memory) begins to shrink with age faster in men than it does in women. That's why you can remember everything, and he can't!
- Do you know what the strongest muscle in your body is? No, it’s not your biceps or your thighs. It’s actually in your head. The masseter is a muscle in the jaw that is used when chewing. When all of the muscles of the jaw work together, they can exert a force as strong as 200 pounds on the molars. That’s some serious pressure.
- A hearty laugh is good for the heart. Laughing can increase blood flow by 20%. Additionally, looking on the bright side can help you live longer. Studies have shown that a more optimistic outlook is linked to a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk for coronary artery disease.
- Does your job make you stressed? We all know that stress is psychologically bad for you, but it also has an effect on…your allergies? A Harvard Medical School study has shown that stress causes your allergies to become worse because your body's defense response loses efficacy when repeatedly triggered by stress. Then, when you really need to physically fight something off, you're less able to!