Glomerulonephritis

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes When to seek medical advice Screening and diagnosis

Complications Treatment Prevention Self-care Coping skills

Introduction

Your kidneys are complex organs whose primary task is to remove wastes, excess fluid and unneeded electrolytes from your body. Any condition that interferes with kidney function can lead to a potentially dangerous buildup of waste products in your bloodstream.

Glomerulonephritis (glo-mer-u-lo-nuh-FRI-tis) is a type of kidney disease that hampers your kidneys' ability to remove waste and excess fluids. Also called glomerular disease, glomerulonephritis can be acute, referring to a sudden attack of inflammation, or chronic, which comes on gradually.

Glomerular disease can be part of a systemic disease, such as lupus or diabetes, or it can be a disease by itself — primary glomerulonephritis. Treatment depends on the type of glomerulonephritis you have.

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Signs and symptoms