Health Watch By Steve Mullenix

The North Jefferson News



We may not give our kidneys much credit, but they are pretty important.

In addition to removing waste and fluid from our bodies, our kidneys perform these other important jobs:

• Regulate body water and other chemicals in the blood such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium

• Remove drugs and toxins introduced into the body

• Release hormones into the blood to help the body

• regulate blood pressure

• make red blood cells

• promote strong bones

However, if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of kidney disease, you’re at risk for a condition called chronic kidney disease (CKD). Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy by doing the jobs listed.

If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage.

Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.



What causes CKD?

The two main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, which are responsible for up to two-thirds of the cases. Diabetes happens when your blood sugar is too high, causing damage to many organs in your body, including the kidneys and heart, as well as blood vessels, nerves and eyes.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases. If uncontrolled, or poorly controlled, high blood pressure can be a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes and chronic kidney disease. Also, chronic kidney disease can cause high blood pressure.

Other conditions that affect the kidneys are:

• Glomerulonephritis, a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidney’s filtering units. These disorders are the third most common type of kidney disease.

• Inherited diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, which causes large cysts to form in the kidneys and damage the surrounding tissue

• Malformations that occur as a baby develops in its mother’s womb. For example, a narrowing may occur that prevents normal outflow of urine and causes urine to flow back up to the kidney. This causes infections and may damage the kidneys

• Lupus and other diseases that affect the body’s immune system

• Obstructions caused by problems like kidney stones, tumors or an enlarged prostate gland in men

• Repeated urinary infections



The facts about CKD

• 26 million American adults have CKD and millions of others are at increased risk

• Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure

• Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD

• Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best estimate of kidney function

• Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension

• Persistent proteinuria (protein in the urine) means CKD is present

• High risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney disease

• Blacks, hispanics, Pacific islanders, native americans and seniors are at increased risk

• Three simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinine



Symptoms of CKD

Most people may not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. However, you may notice that you:

• feel more tired and have less energy

• have trouble concentrating

• have a poor appetite

• have trouble sleeping

• have muscle cramping at night

• have swollen feet and ankles

• have puffiness around your eyes, especially in the morning

• have dry, itchy skin

• need to urinate more often, especially at night.

But the news isn’t all bad. Preventing CKD is not as difficult as you might think.

The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” will take on new meaning this March as kidney experts make plans to help ensure that people at risk don’t end up with kidney failure or dying an early death due to complications of the disease. Those with kidney failure require dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant in order to stay alive.

The damages of kidney failure, also known as end stage kidney disease, can be held at bay by preventing the disease to begin with, detecting it in its earliest stages and providing treatment.

Research shows prevention includes targeting people who may not yet have kidney disease but are at risk, either because of their advancing age, a family history of the condition, or the presence of conditions that damage the kidneys, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

Concrete measures to reduce this public health threat include:

• Raising awareness of the danger among those at risk

• Routine testing to detect the condition in its earliest stages, with a urine test to detect albumin and a blood test for creatinine to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (a measure of how well the kidneys are functioning)

• Reducing risk by improving blood pressure control among those with hypertension

• Reducing risk by improving blood sugar control among those with diabetes

The National Kidney Foundation is dedicated to preventing and treating kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increasing availability of all organs for transplantation.

To learn more about CKD risk factors, prevention and treatment, contact the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org or (800)622-9010.

Steve Mullenix (R.Ph) co-owns The Pharmacy in Mount Olive with his wife, Sherry Mullenix (J.D., R.N.). They can be reached at 631-1201.