Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a condition where fluid-filled cysts grow in the kidneys. They form in the nephrons, or tiny tubes, within the kidney. The nephrons are tiny tubes that produce urine in the process of removing waste from the blood. There are about 1,000,000 nephrons in each human kidney. When the cysts grow in number and size, they can be painful and make the kidneys less able to or unable to function.
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Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is sometimes called “adult onset PKD” because many people don’t find out about it until they are adults.
Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) is sometimes called “infantile PKD”. This is because ARPKD requires medical attention early in life. Children who have it may be identified while they are still very young. Some cases are detected by ultrasound before birth.
Some people with PKD do not know they have it because they do not have any symptoms. However, some signs of PKD are:
If these signs appear, your doctor may do tests to see if you may have PKD.
PKD is often diagnosed by an ultrasound test that looks for cysts in the kidneys. The ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the body – it is safe for everyone, even pregnant women.
If you have high blood pressure, lower it by:
Some doctors recommend that people with PKD avoid common drugs like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). Ask your doctor if avoiding them would be gentler on your kidneys.
If you smoke, ask your doctor about the different ways to quit. There are drugs and other therapies available that can help. Quitting smoking is important to keeping blood pressure low.
For Polycystic Kidney Disease questions or support, please contact the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s Patient Services department.
patientservices@nkfm.org |1-800-482-1555 ext 2570
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