Common Symptoms Of Uremia

Irregular Heartbeat

An unexplained irregular heartbeat can be a symptom that indicates an individual has uremia. The accumulation of uremic toxins in a patient's blood, including p-cresol, PAA, uric acid, indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, and blood urea nitrogen can cause numerous problems in the body involving homeostasis. The heartbeat rhythm is regulated and influenced by signals from the brain, which are a response to changes in the individual's balance of electrolytes, fluids, acid-base status, and blood pressure. Additional problems influencing the regularity of the heartbeat that can be the result of an accumulation of these uremic toxins in the blood include proteinuria, oxidative stress, abnormal metabolism of phosphate and calcium, anemia, increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, and hyperhomocysteinemia.

These issues often cause the heart to beat faster to compensate for their effects on the body. This elevated heart rate over an extended period can cause hypertrophy in the heart or thickening of the heart walls. The long-term tachycardia can also result in myocardial fibrosis or scarring. Both of these factors cause a disruption in the path of electrical signals that tell the muscle when to contract and relax. This mechanism causes an irregularity in the heart rhythm, which is also referred to as an arrhythmia.

Confusion

Individuals who have uremia may present with symptoms of considerable alterations in mental status, including confusion and memory loss. The mechanism behind these symptoms is closely associated with platelet dysfunction and excessive bleeding seen in individuals with uremia. Poor platelet function puts an individual at a higher risk of experiencing a subdural hematoma. A subdural hematoma occurs when a blood vessel in the brain surface region bursts open, and blood accumulates between the patient's brain tissues and its outer lining.

This medical emergency can be very dangerous because the build-up of blood in this area causes the delicate tissues of the brain to become compressed. When brain tissue is compressed, the patient typically experiences delusions, memory loss, vision changes, and confusion. The exact symptoms that occur tend to vary depending on the part of the brain being pressed and the severity of the compression. Uremic individuals may experience a subdural hematoma with minimal to no noticeable trauma.