Simple Blood Tests Can Detect

The Risk of Kidney Disease

WEST HARTFORD — During National Kidney Month this March, the National Kidney Foundation of Connecticut wants to make the public aware of the early signs of kidney disease. If detected soon enough, treatments can help to prevent kidney disease from advancing to a more serious problem.

Four percent of the entire US population is currently at risk for kidney disease, and most people don’t even know that they are in any danger. A recent national survey reported that 11 million Americans have elevated blood levels of creatinine, a waste product from the normal activity of muscles. Healthy kidneys remove creatinine, but when kidney function slows down, the level of creatinine in the blood goes up.

It’s important for all Americans to know the following signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease:

Blood and/or protein in the urine; high blood pressure; a creatinine blood test greater than 1.2 for women and 1.4 for men; burning or difficulty during urination; more frequent urination, particularly at night; and puffiness around the eyes, swelling of the hands and feet, especially in children.

“Unfortunately, kidney disease may be silent for many years,” says Kim Hathaway, Executive Director of the National Kidney Foundation of Connecticut. “Many people may not be aware that they are losing kidney function until their disease reaches an advanced stage. For this reason, it is important to make sure your doctor includes tests of your kidney function, such as your creatinine level, in your regular physical examination,” Ms Hathaway continues.

Other important tests of kidney function that should be part of your physical checkup are the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test and a test for protein in the urine. Urea nitrogen is another waste product that builds up in your blood when your kidneys are not functioning properly. Too much protein in your urine is another sign of decreasing kidney function. Protein is normally retained in the blood, but when the kidney’s filtering units are damaged, large amounts of protein can leak into the urine.

“Early detection is the key to preventing kidney disease from progressing to an advanced stage,” says Ms Hathaway. In the early stages of kidney disease, treatments such as diet and medications can help to slow the loss of kidney function. When kidney disease progresses to the stage where 85 to 90 percent of function is lost, dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant is needed to sustain life.

Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease in the United States, followed by high blood pressure. Close to 70 million Americans have these diseases. To help prevent chronic kidney disease and kidney failure and other complications, anyone who has diabetes or high blood pressure should visit his or her doctor regularly and carefully follow the prescribed treatment to control blood sugar and blood pressure.

The important thing to remember is that you may have kidney disease without any symptoms. The National Kidney Foundation of Connecticut urges you to learn more about your kidneys and to get regular checkups that include tests for blood pressure, blood sugar, urine protein, and kidney function.

For more information about the kidneys and kidney disease, contact the National Kidney Foundation of Connecticut at 800/441-1280, or log on at www.kidneyct.org.

The National Kidney Foundation is a voluntary health organization that seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation. The Connecticut chapter is one of 52 affiliates nationwide. The work of the National Kidney Foundation is funded by public donations and donation of vehicles to its KidneyCars Program.