Kidney Failure, what could cause it?

If someone was a smoker since the age of 12 up to the age of 49, could smoking be a contributing factor to kidney failure, and the need of dialysis????

Yes it is a contributor in several ways...
To simplify the answer, remember that the alkaloids contained in tobacco, tend to "close" the small vessels supplying almost evry viscera or organ of the body, (slin and kidney included) in such a manner that oxygenation and blood perfusion wilol decrease in direct proportion with the number of cigarretes smoked per day.
Yes, it can damage your kidneys, and bring a bad situation to a worse one.

or genetics

yes, or diabetes, or boozing or pills or some other diseases

Smoking would lead more toward lung and throat cancer.

Kidney Failure would come from stuff like glucose issues (ie diabetes) and more natural causes

Nope Smoking affects your lungs! isnt it drink that foooks up ya kidneys n leads to kidney faluire :)

not directly, but smoking can cause plaque buildup in the arteries hence causing a decreased blood flow to the kidneys. when there is a decrease blood flow, then the kidneys may not get the oxygen that the blood contains and the kidneys need. the kidneys then may not work as well. usually if one has smoked for so long there are other problem...ie high blood pressure which can also cause problems.

There are a lot of contributing factors for kidney failure. Smoking can be one of it. Smoking can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension can cause renal failure.

Medical conditions that increase your risk of acute kidney failure include:

* Chronic infection
* Diabetes
* High blood pressure
* Heart failure
* Various blood disorders
* Immune disorders, such as lupus, IgA nephropathy and scleroderma
* Kidney diseases
* Liver diseases
* Prostate gland enlargement
* Bladder outlet obstruction