Can kidney problems cause chest pains? Acute kidney failure can lead to a build-up of fluid in the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath. pain in the chest. If the lining that covers your heart (the pericardium) becomes inflamed, you may experience chest pain.
Acute kidney failure occurs when your kidneys suddenly stop being able to filter waste products from the blood. When your kidneys lose their filtering ability, dangerous amounts of waste can build up and your blood chemistry can become out of balance.
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Kidney problems and pains
Acute kidney failure – also called acute kidney failure or acute kidney injury – develops quickly, usually in less than a few days. An acute kidney failure is most common in people who are already hospitalized, especially critically ill people who need intensive care.
Acute kidney failure can be fatal and requires intensive treatment. However, acute renal failure can be reversible. If you are otherwise in good health, you can restore normal or near-normal kidney function.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of acute kidney failure may include:
- Decreased urine output, although occasionally urine output remains normal
- Fluid retention, causing swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
- Stuffiness
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain or pressure
- Seizures or coma in severe cases
Sometimes acute kidney failure causes no signs or symptoms and is detected through laboratory tests done for another reason.
Can kidney problems cause chest pain?
See your doctor or seek emergency care immediately if you have signs or symptoms of acute kidney failure because of chest pain.
Causes
Acute kidney failure can occur when:
- You have a disease that slows down blood flow to the kidneys
- You are experiencing direct kidney damage
- The urine drainage tubes (ureters) of your kidneys become blocked and waste cannot leave your body through urine
- Impaired blood flow through the kidneys
Diseases and conditions that can slow blood flow to the kidneys and lead to kidney damage include:
- Loss of blood or fluids
- Blood pressure medication
- Infarct
- Heart disease
- Infection
- Liver failure
- Taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve, others), or related medications
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
- A severe burns
- Severe dehydration
Kidney damage
These diseases, conditions, and agents can damage the kidneys and lead to acute kidney failure:
- Blood clots in the veins and arteries in and around the kidneys
- Cholesterol deposits that block blood flow in the kidneys
- Glomerulonephritis (gloe-mer-u-loe-nuh-FRY-tis), inflammation of the tiny filters in the kidneys (glomeruli)
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that results from the premature destruction of red blood cells
- Infections, such as the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Lupus, an immune system disorder causing glomerulonephritis
- Medicines, such as some chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and dyes used during imaging tests
- A scleroderma is a group of rare diseases affecting the skin and connective tissues
Blockage of urine in the kidneys
Diseases and conditions that block the passage of urine from the body (urinary obstruction) and can lead to acute kidney injury include:
- Bladder cancer
- Blood clots in the urinary tract
- Cervical cancer
- Colon cancer
- Enlarged prostate
- Kidney stones
- Nerve damage involving the nerves that control the bladder
- Prostate cancer
What risks can kidney problems cause chest pain?
Acute kidney failure almost always occurs in association with another medical condition or event. Conditions that may increase the risk of acute kidney failure include:
- Being hospitalized, especially for a serious condition that requires intensive care
- Advanced age
- Blockages of blood vessels in the arms or legs (peripheral artery disease)
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart Failure
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Some types of cancer and their treatment
Complication of kidney problems
Potential complications of acute kidney failure include:
- Fluid accumulation. Acute kidney failure can lead to a build-up of fluid in the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath.
- Pain in the chest. If the lining that covers your heart (the pericardium) becomes inflamed, you may experience chest pain.
- Muscle weakness. When your body’s fluids and electrolytes—the chemical composition of your body’s blood—are out of balance, muscle weakness can occur.
- Permanent kidney damage. Occasionally, acute kidney failure causes permanent loss of kidney function or end-stage renal disease. People with end-stage kidney disease require either permanent dialysis – a mechanical filtration process used to remove toxins and waste from the body – or a kidney transplant to survive.
- Death. Acute kidney failure can lead to loss of kidney function and ultimately death.
Prevention of kidney problems and pains like in chest
Acute kidney failure is often difficult to predict or prevent. But you can reduce your risk by taking care of your kidneys. Try:
- Pay attention to the labels when using over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Follow directions for OTC pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), and naproxen sodium (Aleve, others). Taking too many of these drugs can increase the risk of kidney damage. This is especially true if you have pre-existing kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
- Work with your doctor to manage your kidney and other chronic conditions. If you have kidney disease or another condition that increases your risk of acute kidney failures, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, stick to your treatment goals and follow your doctor’s advice to manage your condition.
- Make a healthy lifestyle a priority. To be active; eat a sensible, balanced diet; and drink alcohol only in moderation – if at all.
You wonder a lot about this question Can kidney problems cause chest pains? Acute kidney failure can be fatal and requires intensive treatment. However, acute renal failure can be reversible. If you are otherwise in good health, you can restore normal or near-normal kidney function.
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