Kidney Failure
Kidney Failure occurs when your kidneys lose their ability to sufficiently filter waste from your blood. When this happens, your body can become overloaded with toxins which can be life-threatening if left untreated. If the condition progresses significantly, it can eventually become fatal and patients may require palliative care.
What are the symptoms?
In some cases, Kidney Failure may cause no signs or symptoms and may need to be detected though lab tests. However, common signs and symptoms of the condition may include:
- A reduced output of urine
- Swollen of legs, ankles, and feet
- Shortness of breath
- Drowsiness and fatigue
- Persistent nausea
- Seizures
- Coma
Cause and treatment
A person may develop Kidney Failure if they have a condition that slows blood flow to the kidneys, or if damage is done directly to the kidneys. The condition may also occur if the kidneys’ drainage tubes (ureters) become blocked and waste becomes unable to leave the body through urine.
Conditions and diseases that may reduce blood flow to the kidneys can include (but are not limited to) blood or fluid loss, heart attack, heart disease, liver failure, anaphylaxis, and severe dehydration.
There is no cure for Kidney Failure, but treatment can often relieve symptoms and prevent the condition from worsening. Treatment will depend on how far the condition has progressed and can include:
- Lifestyle changes, including changes to diet
- Medicines – can help to manage associated problems, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol
- Dialysis – a treatment that replicates some of the kidneys’ functions
- Kidney transplant
Medical Cannabis and Liver Failure
Medical cannabis has been found to be beneficial for a number of symptoms associated with terminal conditions, including Kidney Failure. There is growing evidence that medical cannabis can also be useful for the management of Chronic Pain – a symptom associated with many terminal conditions.
Our specialist physicians are experienced in assessing individual cases and helping to determine the correct therapy for each patient. In some cases, medical cannabis may be useful in cases of palliative care where traditional treatments have failed to offer relief.
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