Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 97) common conditions CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE Some 8.7 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and another 20 million may be at increased risk of developing this disease. What can you do to keep kidney failure at bay? By Sarah Smiley Young It’s important to keep your blood pressure low. Living with chronic kidney disease W hen your kidneys are healthy, you probably don’t give them a second thought. These small, bean-shaped organs filter excess fluid and waste products from ● Keep your blood pressure low. If you have high blood pressure (also called hypertension), your doctor will want you to keep your blood pressure as low as you can — 130 over 80 or lower is ideal. If you’re not able to keep your blood pressure low on your own, your doctor may prescribe medicine to lower it. ● Control your diabetes. If you have your blood into your urine. Your kidneys also help your body regulate its blood pressure and produce red blood cells. When your kidneys don’t filter your blood properly, harmful levels of fluid, waste and chemicals start to build up in your body. This is called kidney failure. Kidney failure can cause vomiting, weakness, confusion, coma and death. Sometimes kidney failure happens quickly, especially if you’ve been injured or had a sudden blockage in the blood vessels that lead to your kidneys. But usually it develops slowly. When this happens, it’s called chronic kidney disease. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE? TIREDNESS LACK OF ENERGY LOSS OF APPETITE MUSCLE WEAKNESS NEED TO URINATE MORE OFTEN TROUBLE SLEEPING TROUBLE THINKING CLEARLY SWELLING OF THE FEET AND ANKLES OFTEN NO SYMPTOMS diabetes, you’ll need to control your blood sugar levels. You can do this by making changes in your diet, being physically active and taking any medicine your doctor prescribes. ● Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Missed signals. Many people who have chronic kidney disease aren’t aware that they have it. Some people don’t have any symptoms at all. Sometimes people have symptoms that seem like they’re caused by something else. If you have chronic kidney disease, it’s important to find out because the sooner it’s caught, the more you can do to prevent kidney failure. Your doctor can find out if you have the disease by checking your blood pressure and testing your blood and urine. Who’s at risk? Anyone can get chronic kidney disease. However, it’s more likely to affect people who have diabetes or high blood pressure. If you have either of these conditions, your doctor will need to check your kidney function on a regular basis. Older people, people in certain ethnic groups and people who have a family history of chronic kidney disease are at higher risk. What can I do? Whether you’re at risk of developing chronic kidney disease or you’ve already been diagnosed, taking care of yourself is key. Maintaining a healthy diet and a regular exercise program — and quitting smoking if you smoke — will help control the factors that put you at risk of chronic kidney disease. If you already have the disease, healthy habits can keep it from getting worse. Here’s what else you can do: Triglycerides are a type of fat. Triglyceride levels are often higher in people who have kidney disease. You may need to take medicine to lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. ● Eat a special diet. Chronic kidney disease can change the way your body uses protein, potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Your doctor may prescribe a special diet or suggest that you talk to a nutritionist. Sarah Smiley Young is a senior associate editor with the American Academy of Family Physicians, headquartered in Leawood, Kan. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org/832.xml American Association of Kidney Patients http://www.aakp.org National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases http://www.niddk.nih.gov National Kidney Foundation http://www.kidney.org familydoctor 2007 97 http://familydoctor.org/832.xml http://www.aakp.org http://www.niddk.nih.gov http://www.kidney.org
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