Glomerular disease is the inflammation of the glomeruli or the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys. These blood vessels work to filter and remove excess fluids or waste from your blood. When the glomeruli become inflamed, your kidneys stop properly functioning and kidney failure will likely occur if not treated immediately.
Glomerular disease can happen quickly (acute) or slowly over time (chronic) and is a serious, life-threatening condition that can occur very suddenly (rapidly progressing).
What Causes GN?
The causes for GN depend on whether it’s acute or chronic:
Acute GN
In some cases, it can be caused by heavy and frequent use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs (minimal change disease), iv illicit drug use has been linked to being a risk factor for GN.
Various illnesses have been known to trigger acute GN, such as:
• Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy
• Lupus
• Vasculitis
• Certain bacterial or viral infections (strep throat, HIV, hepatitis virus)
• Minimal change disease
Chronic GN
There isn’t always a clear cause for chronic GN. It can develop over many years, with little to no signs or symptoms, causing irreversible kidney damage that leads to kidney failure.
• Certain genetic disease
• Certain immune diseases
• A history of cancer
• A history of acute GN
• Diabetes
What are the Symptoms of GN?
Similar to the causes, GN’s signs and symptoms depend on whether it’s acute or chronic, as well as the severity of the inflammation.
Acute GN
The most common symptoms of acute GN include:
• Urinating less often
• Blood in your urine (dark, rust-colored urine)
• Puffiness in the face
• Coughing caused by fluid in the lungs
• High blood pressure
Chronic GN
Though most symptoms don’t show until it’s become more severe, the signs to look for with chronic GN include:
• Blood in your urine (dark, rust-colored urine)
• Bubbly or foamy urine from high levels of protein
• High blood pressure
• Lack of appetite
• Tiredness
• Swelling of your ankles and feet
