Kidneys are vital organs, performing some
of the most important functions in our body. They are sophisticated
processing machines that keep our blood clean and chemically balanced.
It goes without saying that the more you know about your body and your
health, the more control you have over your life.
As a Nephrologist, specializing in
Chronic Kidney Disease and Hypertension, I decided to share some
interesting information with my readers, pertaining to Kidney disease
and Kidney health. I hope you will find the facts outlined below
interesting and useful.
Our Kidneys have a higher blood flow than our brain, liver or heart.
The Kidneys absorb and distribute 99.9% of the blood volume. Only 0.1% of the blood filtered turns into urine.
Each Kidney is about 5 inches long (13 centimeters) and weighs approximately 4 to 6 ounces (120-140 grams).
The Kidneys filter almost 200 quarts of blood every day.
1 in 9 adults in America, or at least 26
million Americans, have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and millions more
are at increased risk. According to The American Society of Nephrology,
the number of people diagnosed with Kidney disease has doubled for the
last decade. I would strongly recommend blood and urine tests to detect
early signs of the disorder.
Risk factors for CKD include: diabetes,
hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, advanced age, family history of
CKD, and tobacco use.
Each kidney has about a million tiny
nephrons. A nephron is the basic functional unit of the kidney. It has a
group of tiny blood vessels called a glomerulus, the small structure
responsible for filtering and cleaning blood as it flows through the
kidney. Most kidney diseases attack the nephrons, causing them to lose
filtering capacity. Interestingly, Kidney diseases destroy the nephrons
slowly and silently. The damage will become apparent only years or even
decades later.
The most frequent causes of Kidney
disease are Diabetes and High blood pressure. Other causes include,
Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the glomerulus) and Polycystic
Kidney Disease (an inherited disease, causing large cysts to form in the
kidney). What most people don’t realize is that taking over-the-counter
pain-relieving medicines, can also result in Kidney disorder. Please
keep in mind that these medicines can be toxic to your Kidneys and may
even provoke some serious damage.
Heart disease is very common among people
with Chronic Kidney Disease. CKD patients are more likely than the
general population to develop heart condition. That’s why following all
the necessary steps to prevent heart problems is absolutely crucial.
What they should do is eat healthy foods, exercise on a regular basis
and kick a smoking habit (in case they smoke). CKD patients should cut
down on foods that contain saturated fat, such as eggs, milk, cheese and
fried foods. Healthy foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids should become a
part of their dietary regime. I cannot stress enough the importance of
salmon, albacore tuna, sardines, walnuts or flaxseed oil in your diet.
Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation can
extend the lives of people with Kidney failure. Fortunately, there are
ways to prevent Kidney disease. Kidney-related disorders usually occur
gradually over time. That’s why it is always better to identify
potential disorder early on. Time is of the essence – early detection
can slow the progression of CDK and protect your health.
Only one donated Kidney is needed to
replace two failed Kidneys. The life expectancy of someone who donates a
kidney is the same as the general population. There is no increased
risk of kidney disease if a well-screened person donates a kidney to
someone who is in need of a transplant.
