Age-related changes in renal function

As the population in the United States ages, the number of individuals who will develop renal disease will increase for a variety of reasons. Some of the causes may be an acute problem such as acute renal failure. However, in most cases, renal involvement is a secondary problem that may be caused by age-related changes in the kidney along with therapy that is used to treat a primary disease process such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus. This article explains the age-related changes that occur in the kidney and the clinical implications for treatment. Nursing care specific to the problems associated with age-related kidney changes is also discussed.