Motivational

March is National Kidney Month

March is National Kidney Month, and March 12, 2009 is World Kidney Day. DaVita has teamed with The Kidney TRUST, an organization that aims to benefit the estimated 26 million American adults living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as the more than 300,000 Americans with end stage renal disease or kidney failure who are on dialysis to offer screenings for chronic kidney disease in Denver, CO, Frisco, TX, Washington, D.C. and Fairfax, VA.

Chronic kidney disease develops when kidneys lose their ability to remove waste and maintain fluid and chemical balances in the body. The degree of chronic kidney disease depends on how well the kidneys filter wastes from the blood and can progress quickly or take many years to develop.

More than 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease and about 90 percent of them are not even aware. Often there are no symptoms until kidney disease reaches the later stages including kidney failure. Another 20 million more Americans are at risk for kidney disease but do not know it.  

Risk factors for chronic kidney disease

High-risk populations include those with diabetes, high blood pressure and family history of kidney disease. Six percent of the United States population has diabetes, the number one cause of kidney disease. One out of four Americans has high blood pressure, the second leading cause of kidney disease.

More than 33 percent of kidney failure patients are African American, while the number of Hispanic patients receiving end stage renal disease treatment has increased by over 50 percent in the last decade. Other high-risk groups include Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and seniors 65 and older.

Who should be screened for chronic kidney disease?

Anyone 18 years old or older with diabetes, high blood pressure or family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease should be screened for kidney disease. If you live in an area that is offering a free screening, plan to attend. If not, visit your doctor and ask that you be screened for chronic kidney disease.

What is involved in a kidney screening?

Because there are often no symptoms of kidney disease, laboratory tests are critical. During the screening being offered by The Kidney TRUST, a trained technician will draw blood that will be tested for creatinine, a waste product. If kidney function is abnormal, creatinine levels will increase in the blood, due to decreased excretion of creatinine in the urine. The Kidney TRUST will calculate an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which factors in age, gender, creatinine and ethnicity. The GFR indicates the person’s stage of chronic kidney disease which provides an evaluation kidney function. The test results will be available within 10 minutes, and an educator will explain the results to the screening participant. 

Treatment for chronic kidney disease

In many cases, kidney failure can be prevented or delayed through early detection and proper treatment of kidney disease, such as an eating plan with the right amounts of sodium, fluid  and protein, exercise and avoiding dehydration. Treating diabetes and high blood pressure will slow additional damage to kidneys.

End stage renal disease patients have two treatment options:  

• Dialysis is a treatment that removes wastes and excess fluid from blood when the kidneys are not able to do it on their own. It is typically necessary upon development of kidney failure — usually by the time an individual loses about 85 to 90 percent of kidney function. More than 300,000 people in the United States depend on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatments to stay alive.
• The only other treatment option for people with end stage renal disease is a kidney transplant.

Dates and locations for no cost kidney screenings open to the public

If you are in the areas listed below, you can take advantage of The Kidney TRUST kidney screening:

March 7

• American Diabetes Association (ADA) Expo
• 700 14^th Street
• Denver, CO
• 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

March 24

• Fifty and Fabulous Expo
• The Waterford at Fair Oaks
• 12025 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway
• Fairfax, VA
• 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Hold a kidney screening at your place of business

Ask your employer to hold a kidney screening event at your place of business. Contact The Kidney TRUST at info@kidneytrust.org or call 1-877-444-2398. You can visit the website at www.kidneytrust.org to learn more about kidney disease and The Kidney TRUST. Remember, when kidney disease is detected in the earlier stages, steps can be taken to prolong kidney function. Join these businesses in holding a kidney screening for your employees. If you work at one of the businesses listed below make sure to take advantage of the kidney screening being offered at your workplace.

March 6

• DaVita Lodge in Denver, CO

March 12

• National Courts in Washington, D.C.

March 17

• ASD Healthcare in Frisco, Texas

March 19

• Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

March 24

• 50 and Fabulous Health Expo in Fairfax, VA

Press release

• Printable PDF of DaVita National Kidney Month events