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“DASH” Diet Lowers Blood Pressure and Reduces Risk of Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:01:49-04:00August 29th, 2016|Categories: eNews, News & Events, Nutrition, Staying Healthy, What Causes Kidney Disease, What Is Kidney Disease|Tags: |

Research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet has shown to be effective in preventing other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. The diet is high in nuts and legumes, low-fat diary, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and low in red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and sodium. Researchers examined records from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study which in 1987 began following a group of over 15,000 middle aged adults for more than 20 years. The ARIC Study was started in 1987 by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute [...]

Cystinosis, One of 7,000 Rare Diseases

2024-03-28T21:02:02-04:00May 28th, 2016|Categories: The Kidney Citizen, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

By Terri Schleuder, VP of Education & Awareness, Cystinosis Research Network Statistically, there are over 7,000 rare diseases in the United States that collectively impact 30,000,000 people. This is the story about one of them, and an important one for kidney disease patients as nearly all cystinosis patients lose their kidney function. Also, recent data suggests a high incidence of underdiagnosis and carriers among dialysis patients. Nephropathic Cystinosis is a rare metabolic, genetic disease that affects about 500 people in the U.S. and about 2,000 worldwide. Cystinosis occurs in a child when he/she inherits the recessive gene, identified in the late 1990’s [...]

Revamped CDC Website Aims to Educate About Diabetes

2024-03-28T21:04:43-04:00March 25th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Webinar, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure and currently affects more than 29 million people in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently relaunched the National Diabetes Education Program, a website that contains educational resources on the disease. The information, which has been scientifically tested and verified, is available in the form of fact sheets, webinars, videos and other materials. The website is free, open to anyone, and can be found here. The DPC Education Center’s Education Call on diabetes can be viewed here.

Prevention of Kidney Stones Vital for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

2024-03-28T21:04:50-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Lifestyle, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

Some people who repeatedly develop kidney stones may also have high levels of calcium deposits in their blood vessels. A study recently published by the American Society of Nephrology suggests that this could explain their increased risk for cardiovascular disease. "It's becoming clear that having kidney stones is a bit like having raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol, or diabetes in that it is another sign of, or risk factor for, cardiovascular disease and its consequences," said study co-author Robert Unwin of University College London. The main message "is to begin to take having kidney stones seriously in relation to cardiovascular disease [...]

Utilizing Public Resources to Prevent Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:04:51-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Pediatric Kidney Disease, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

People living with diabetes know that diabetes might affect their eyes, feet and heart. But, many do not realize that they also have to think about their kidneys. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, followed by high blood pressure. The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP), an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has a number of helpful resources and materials to educate people at risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD). These materials help people and their loved ones understand the connection between diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. For people with diabetes or [...]

Kidneys That Suffered Acute Injuries May Be Good Candidates for Transplantation

2024-03-28T21:04:55-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

Studies show that kidneys from deceased donors who had acute injuries (defined as injuries with blood loss that affect the kidney, often sustained in car accidents) are frequently discarded, but could be transplanted with better results than transplants with delayed graft function. (Delayed graft function occurs when a transplanted kidney does not immediately start to function properly and may require some dialysis for a period of time.) Yale Director of Applied Translational Research Dr. Chirag Parikh and colleagues tracked kidneys from 1,632 deceased donors and, as expected, found that kidneys from patients with acute kidney injury were discarded more often. The [...]

Diabetes Awareness Month

2024-03-28T21:04:56-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Physical Health, Webinar, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney disease, accounting for nearly 44% of new cases each year. Coinciding with Diabetes Awareness Month, we were pleased to host an education call on November 3 to discuss the physiology of diabetes in Chronic Kidney Disease patients as well as beneficial lifestyle interventions. Danielle Kirkman, PhD was our guest speaker. She is currently a University of Delaware research fellow, focusing on the benefits of physical activity on vascular health.  Dr. Kirkman discussed the importance of monitoring your blood glucose levels early on to avoid kidney failure. The extreme fluctuations in blood glucose levels [...]

Confronting Kidney Health Disparities during Black History Month

2024-03-28T21:04:59-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , , |

While black history is American history and cannot be adequately covered in a single month, we take Black History Month as an opportunity to confront kidney health disparities. Unfortunately, African American adults are 3.5 times more likely to have kidney failure. The major risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) include high blood pressure, obesity, family history and diabetes. These risk factors also disproportionately affect African American communities. The relative socioeconomic status of these communities, in addition to their relative lack of access to medical care and a genetic predisposition toward kidney disease, makes the risk for kidney disease higher.  Compared to [...]

Diabetes and Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:05:10-04:00March 8th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

The relationship between diabetes and kidney disease First, to set the record straight, if you have diabetes you will not necessarily develop kidney disease. The fact that you are reading this handout already puts you ahead of the curve, because there are steps that you can take to safeguard against chronic kidney disease (CKD). Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease. The other leading causes of CKD are: • Hypertension (high blood pressure) • Glomerulonephritis • Cystic diseases • Urologic disease. In diabetics, the body has a hard time producing or properly using insulin. Without insulin, glucose (sugar) remains [...]

Basics of Chronic Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:05:11-04:00March 8th, 2016|Categories: Fact Sheet, Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Medication, Peritoneal Dialysis, Symptoms, The Kidney Citizen, What Causes Kidney Disease|

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), also called chronic kidney failure, describes the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then removed from your body in your urine. When CKD reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and waste products can build up in your body and cause you harm. In the early stages of CKD, you may have few signs or symptoms, and may only be diagnosed with a blood and/or urine test. In fact, you may not feel sick from CKD up until most of your kidney function [...]

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