Men's Health

Kidney Disease

Men's Health Home > Top 10 Health Concerns of Men > Kidney Disease

The kidneys are two organs, each about the size of a fist, located in the upper part of a person's abdomen, toward the back. The kidneys filter waste from the blood to form urine. They also regulate amounts of certain vital substances in the body.

There are many different kinds of kidney diseases. A disease of the kidney may be a short-term problem that might not cause permanent kidney damage. More often, diseases that affect the kidney are chronic problems. "Chronic renal failure" is a loss of kidney function that occurs gradually and is often "silent," going undetected for months or years.

Kidney failure most often is caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Another cause of kidney failure is overuse of medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen that are toxic to the kidneys. Some preventive measures you can take:

• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get checked regularly for diabetes and high blood pressure, as advised by your doctor.
• Limit your use of over-the-counter pain relievers.

Additional Information on Kidney Disease:

Current as of June 2007