What is the full form of PKD?

The full form of PKD is Polycystic Kidney Disease. A genetic condition, PKD. Multiple cysts will occur within the kidneys as a result of structural abnormalities in renal tubules. Cysts are most likely to appear in childhood or adulthood. According to certain studies, the condition can also begin to manifest itself while a foetus is still in the womb. Cysts are fluid-filled tubules that can range in size from microscopic to enormous. Since PKD is brought on by a faulty gene that creates a protein that harms kidney tubule formation, it is a genetic disorder.

PKD is broadly classified into 3 types:

1. Autosomal dominant PKD( ADPKD ): Only one copy of a defective dominant gene is required for this kind of PKD, which manifests as symptoms after the ages of 25 to 28 but may also occur in childhood. 90% of instances involve ADPKD.
2. Autosomal recessive PKD( ARPKD ): This particular PKD is inherited in a recessive manner. It begins during foetal development and can show signs as early as the first few months of life. The condition advances quickly and is extremely deadly. It is a rare type of illness that affects 1 in 20,000 individuals.
3. Acquired cystic kidney disease( ACKD ): Even patients who are receiving dialysis often get this when there has been long-term kidney impairment. Blood in the urine is the primary presenting symptom.

Abdominal pain, blood in the urine, an increase in blood pressure, pain while urinating, and frequent urination are among the signs and symptoms. To stop the disease from progressing, it is necessary to regulate the symptoms seen in the early stages.

In order to prevent further kidney damage, the bladder infection needs to be treated with antibiotics. To stop future kidney damage, blood pressure must be under control. This can be achieved by keeping a low-fat, low-sodium diet, drinking less alcohol, and quitting smoking. It is advised to drink enough of fluids when blood is seen in the urine to prevent the formation of blood clots.

When a patient with PKD begins to experience other issues, such as the growth of liver cysts, the development of brain aneurysms, the possibility of preeclampsia during pregnancy, cardiac issues, weakness or sac formation in the colon, there is a risk of developing cancer.

• When the abdomen is palpated during an external examination, an enlarged liver, a heart murmur, and slightly raised blood pressure are all detectable.
• To confirm the diagnosis, more testing including an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI are needed.
• BUN, serum creatinine, urine culture, and other tests are performed on blood and urine.

There is no FDA-approved medication for it because it is one of the inherited illnesses. The progression of some kinds of PKD has been shown to be controlled by dietary restrictions in some cases. As the condition progresses, the nephrologist determines the course of treatment. If the condition has progressed to an advanced level, such as kidney failure or chronic kidney disease, the treatment may include renal replacement therapy. This covers various frequencies and lengths of dialysis. The suggested treatment for discomfort brought on by polycystic kidney disease is acetaminophen. If a suitable donor kidney is available, kidney replacement is a possibility. When treating ADPKD, specific safety measures must be performed. The practitioner must rule out any kind of allergy from medicine or food before proceeding with the treatment. The infection within the cysts need to be controlled thus avoiding the spread to maximum extent. Use of bacteriostatic drugs and bacteriocidal drugs is recommended.