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 high blood pressure, the NKDEP explains the importance of getting tested for kidney disease in Get Checked for Kidney Disease.
NKDEP also recently published a new Family Reunion Health Guide, a manual for discussing kidney disease risk factors at family reunions. It includes suggestions and tips for using social media, text messages and email to engage family members in supporting one another to keep their kidneys healthy. The guide is especially useful because children can also develop kidney disease, though the risk factors are different. The brochure “Is My Child at Risk for Kidney Disease?” explains children’s risk factors for kidney disease, the importance of getting children’s urine tested and the availability of treatment for them.
