Measures to Maintain Urinary Health
Though it is not possible to prevent many of the
health conditions affecting the urinary system that
become more common with age, there are pre-
ventive lifestyle measures that can help maintain
urinary health. These include
- drink a minimum of 8 to 12 eight-ounce glasses
of water daily, more when it is hot or with
exercise (urine should be colorless or slightly
yellow) - get blood pressure checked by a health-care
provider at least yearly - get checked for diabetes regularly
- urinate when the urge occurs and empty the
bladder completely when urinating - minimize use of over-the-counter products
containing acetaminophen or NONSTEROIDAL
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS(NSAIDS) - do not smoke (cigarette smoking accounts for
50 percent of bladder cancers)
Maintaining a healthy weight, nutritious EATING
HABITS, and daily physical exercise are important
for good health overall. People who have diag-
nosed hypertension or diabetes should strive to
maintain the best possible control over these con-
ditions through appropriate lifestyle measures and
by taking medications as prescribed.
See also ATHEROSCLEROSIS;HEPATORENAL FAILURE;
LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH; URINARY INCONTINENCE.
albuminuria Excessive excretion of ALBUMIN, a
form of protein, into the URINE. Albuminuria, also
called proteinuria, typically indicates kidney con-
ditions that affect the glomeruli (the tubular struc-
tures within the KIDNEYS that filter wastes and
excess water from the BLOODto excrete in the
urine). Such conditions include GLOMERULONEPHRI-
TIS, GLOMERULOSCLEROSIS, NEPHROTIC SYNDROME, and
NEPHROPATHYof DIABETESor of HYPERTENSION(high
BLOOD PRESSURE). Albuminuria may accompany
cardiovascular diseases such as ENDOCARDITIS and
chronic inflammatory diseases such as SYSTEMIC
LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS(SLE) andRHEUMATOID ARTHRI-
TIS. Strenuous physical exercise also can cause
transient albuminuria without kidney disease.
Albuminuria does not itself cause symptoms.
Most often the doctor detects albuminuria
through urinalysis done during a ROUTINE MEDICAL
EXAMINATION. Treatment targets the underlying
cause. In the circumstance of chronic kidney dis-
ease, monitoring the urine albumin level is one
method for assessing the status of kidney function.
The urologist may conduct further diagnostic pro-
cedures such as ULTRASOUND or kidney biopsy
when the cause of the albuminuria is undeter-
mined. Persistent albuminuria typically suggests
progressive damage to the kidneys regardless of
the underlying cause.
See also AMYLOIDOSIS; MINIMAL CHANGE DISEASE.Alport’s syndrome An inherited genetic disorder
in which one, two, or three mutations occur in
the GENEthat encodes type IV collagen formations,
also called basement membranes. The mutations
affect up to three of the six protein chains (alpha-
3, alpha-4, and alpha-5) that make up type IV col-
lagen, which is a foundation for a number of
structures in the body including the glomeruli in
the KIDNEYS, COCHLEAin the inner EAR, LENSof the
EYE, and alveoli in the LUNGS. Among the three
variations of Alport’s syndrome, two include dam-
age to these other structures as well as to the kid-
neys. All variations of Alport’s syndrome include
kidney damage that manifests as chronic GLOMERU-
LONEPHRITIS(INFLAMMATIONof the glomeruli), result-
ing in progressive scarring and fibrosis of the
glomeruli. The fibrotic tissue replaces healthy tis-
sue, preventing normal glomerular function.
The most common inheritance pattern for
Alport’s syndrome is X-linked, which affects about
80 percent of those who have the disorder. The
syndrome may also occur as an autosomal reces-
sive pattern (15 percent) or an autosomal domi-
nant pattern (5 percent). All types of Alport’s
syndrome eventually progress to END-STAGE RENAL
DISEASE(ESRD) in nearly everyone who has the dis-
order, though the rate of progression is highly
variable and differs among the three inheritance
patterns for the syndrome.Symptoms and Diagnostic Path
The most common symptom of Alport’s syndrome
is HEMATURIA(bloody URINE) that may appear in176 The Urinary System