Inflammation, and attempts to drain the fluids from the body can lead to lasting kidney damage.
From your lungs to your sense of smell, it is well known that COVID-19 can effect multiple parts of your body. As researchers, doctors, and patients have worked together to communicate people’s coronavirus symptoms, it has come to light that COVID-19 can also damage your kidneys. Dr. C. John Sperati, director of the Nephrology Fellowship Training Program at Johns Hopkins Medicine says that certain things exacerbate the problem.
“Many patients with severe COVID-19 are those with co-existing, chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes. Both of these increase the risk of kidney disease,” Sperati says.
According to the Johns Hopkins health blog, early reports taken during the pandemic show that up to 30% of patients hospitalized with the coronavirus in both China and New York developed moderate or even severe kidney damage. Doctors in New York are now saying this percentage could be even higher. In fact, some hospitals have had so many coronavirus cases with kidney problems, they have risked running low on dialysis machines. Yes, it’s that bad.
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Doctors are not sure exactly how COVID-19 inflicts injury to your kidneys. It could be that when people get too little oxygen, this causes the kidneys to malfunction. People with severe cases of the coronavirus who experience a cytokine storm can end up with damaged kidneys as a result of their own immune system causing high levels of inflammation in their body.
COVID-19 is also known to cause tiny blood clots to form. It could be that people suffering from the illness have tiny clots that are clogging equally tiny blood vessels in their kidneys. Other theories suggest that people with COVID-19 have kidneys that are being attacked by the virus itself. And then there is another route to damage. According to NBC News.com, when coronavirus patients are put on ventilators, they are often given diuretics in an effort to “dry out’ their lungs. Doctors need to get rid of any extra fluid in the patient’s body. The trouble is, your kidneys prefer to be hydrated. Consequently, doctors are learning they need to balance treatments between drying out the lungs and providing hydration to keep the kidneys happy. It is a constant juggling act.
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If you experience kidney damage due to COVID-19, will your organs recover? Maybe. Doctors say those patients who are hospitalized but that do not get so bad as to require dialysis, have a better chance of recovering full kidney functioning. Those who do go on dialysis are more likely to continue requiring it. Some patients in this situation have regained proper kidney function however, so it seems to be a case-by-case basis.
Dr. Sperati says that coronavirus patients with COVID-19-related kidney damage should follow up with their doctors, once released from the hospital. This is key. It is important to ensure that your kidneys are now functioning normally. Sometimes patients will need dialysis or other therapies to be implemented even after they have enjoyed a full recovery from the virus.
The symptoms of kidney problems are not always immediately obvious. They and can require testing. High levels of protein found in your urine as well as abnormal blood work are both telltale signs. Ask your doctor for testing if you are concerned about yourself or a loved one. And remember: the pandemic is still on. Protect yourself by wearing a mask when going, and avoid crowds to stay healthy.
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