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End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is the last stage of chronic kidney disease, characterized by progressive, slow, and irreversible deterioration of kidney function over months to years. Kidneys are paired structures near the back wall of your abdomen and side areas called flank, one on each side of the spine, whose function is to filter the waste materials out of the blood and produce urine as a by-product. Some diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, polycystic kidney disease, and glomerulonephritis adversely affect your kidneys, reducing their filtering abilities and accumulating harmful substances. In ESRD, kidneys work at less than 15% of normal levels. The symptoms range from fatigue, leg swelling, nausea, and vomiting to confusion and coma.
It is managed by treating the underlying disease, improving the symptoms, and adopting techniques and lifestyles that can slow the progression of the disease. Poorly managed ESRD can result in complications such as hypertension, bone disease, heart disease, and anemia.