Nephrology is the branch of medicine that deals with kidney health, diagnosing and treating kidney disease. A nephrologist is a physician who specialises in the management of kidney disease, assessing the severity of the disease and defining the appropriate treatment. This may include the support of other professionals, such as dieticians, and referring the patient to specialised centres if treatment such as dialysis or kidney transplantation is required.
Nephrologists deal with a wide range of disorders, including glomerular and vascular diseases affecting the functional units and renal vessels, as well as tubular and interstitial diseases involving the tubules and surrounding tissues. Diseases treated include kidney stones, acute and chronic renal failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and polycystic kidney. The management of these diseases includes a thorough analysis of the patient’s clinical situation and the choice of the most appropriate treatment.
The nephrologist carries out a thorough anamnesis to gather information about the patient’s medical and family history. After a complete physical examination, investigations such as blood and urine tests, kidney biopsies, kidney ultrasounds and X-rays may be prescribed for a more precise and targeted diagnosis. These diagnostic tools help assess the severity of the kidney disease and identify the best treatment plan.
A general practitioner may recommend a nephrological examination in case of recurrent kidney stones, chronic urinary infections, acute renal failure or uncontrolled hypertension. It is also useful to consult a nephrologist if protein or blood are found in the urine, reduced renal function or a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 30. Specialist examination is essential to diagnose kidney disease early and manage it, preventing deterioration of the patient’s health.