Kidney Disease

26 million people have kidney disease and sadly, many don’t even know it because there are no signs and symptoms early on. Those at risk for kidney disease have diabetes or high blood pressure. People 60 and over in age with a family history of kidney failure are at an increased risk as well. If you are African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Hispanic, you too have an increased risk of developing kidney failure.

What do your kidneys do?

Your kidneys remove waste, balance fluid and minerals, keep your bones healthy, regulates your blood pressure, regulate hormones, and help make red blood cells. Everyday your kidneys filter 200L of blood. The blood that is clean goes back to your body and toxins and waste products get removed through urine.

When the kidneys are not functioning properly, you are at risk for:

Heart disease

Heart attack

Stroke

Anemia

Nerve damage

Weak bones

High blood pressure

Kidney damage

The National Kidney Foundation recommends two simple tests to evaluate for kidney disease. Those tests can be done yearly. Your doctor may order these two tests to evaluate how well your kidneys are doing:

1. A Urine test to see your Albumin to Creatinine Ratio or ACR test (to see if you have albumin in your urine; one of the first signs for kidney damage)

2. A blood test to see creatinine to identify your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (GFR can tell how well your kidneys are filtering toxic wastes or if any damage has occurred).

How to protect your kidneys?

1. Keep your blood pressure within normal range

2. Keep your blood sugar within normal range

3. Keep your weight within normal range; if you are overweight or obese, lose weight

4. Exercise regularly (at least 3 times a week)

5. If you smoke, quit smoking

6. Avoid taking a lot of pain medicine

7. Be sure to eat less salt and fat and drink lots of water if you are at risk for kidney damage

National Kidney Foundation. (2017). Kidney disease: Your kidneys and you. Retrieved from https://www.kidney.org/yourkidneysandyou