Polycystic Kidney Disease
A certain inherited gene causes PKD. If one parent carries the gene, then a child has a 50% chance of developing it. A person with the gene will have some form of PKD during their lifetime.
There is also a rare form of PKD, called autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. It affects newborns, infants, and children. This form can cause death in the first month of life.
Care focuses on treating symptoms and preventing complications. Care may involve:
Medicines to control:
- High blood pressure
- Antibiotics to treat certain infections
- Using a diet that lowers protein or salt intake
- Drain or remove cysts to ease pain, bleeding, or a blockage
- Remove one or both kidneys— nephrectomy
- Dialysis —takes over the work of the kidneys
- Kidney transplant
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
Edits to original content made by Denver Health.
Copyright © EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
a (PKD; Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease; ADPKD; Adult Polycystic Disease; Polycystic Kidney Disease Type 2)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases https//www.niddk.nih.gov
PKD Foundation https://pkdcure.org
Health Canada https://www.canada.ca
The Kidney Foundation of Canada https://www.kidney.ca
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116105/Autosomal-dominant-polycystic-kidney-disease-ADPKD . Updated June 10, 2016. Accessed June 11, 2018.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/polycystic-kidney-disease.html. Updated April 2014. Accessed June 11, 2018.
Kidney (renal dysplasia) and cystic disease. Urology Care Foundation website. Available at: http://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/kidney-(renal)-dysplasia-and-cystic-disease?article=19. Accessed June 11, 2018.
Srivastava A. Patel N. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Am Fam Physician 2014;90(5):303-307.
What is PKD? PKD Foundation website. Available at: https://pkdcure.org/what-is-pkd. Accessed June 11, 2018.