National Minority Health Month

2024-03-28T21:01:21-04:00April 17th, 2017|Categories: eNews, News & Events, What Is Kidney Disease|

There are many aspects that impact your overall health and wellbeing. Genetic factors and lifestyle choices are among the most common determinants of your health. Given this, why are certain populations more susceptible to certain conditions than others? What other factors are at play to impact minority populations more than Caucasian populations?  National Minority Health Month seeks to answer these questions while raising awareness of the widespread health disparities among populations. National Minority Health Month is an initiative of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH). This year, the theme is “Bridging Health Equity Across Communities” in an [...]

Lupus and Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:01:24-04:00March 22nd, 2017|Categories: eNews, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

Fictional doctor Gregory House usually suspects Lupus first as the underlying cause to his ailing patient. In his case, it’s never Lupus. However, Lupus Nephritis is a very common cause of kidney disease and the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) has partnered with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NAIMS) to increase awareness of both of these related conditions as part of National Kidney Month. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body’s immune system attacks it’s own cells and organs. Because of this, lupus can cause kidney disease which may get worse over time and [...]

Decoding Diabetic Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:01:27-04:00February 28th, 2017|Categories: eNews, News & Events, What Causes Kidney Disease, What Is Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

A research team at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has revealed biological pathways involved in diabetic kidney disease. They hope that with these new pathways, early diagnostic tests and targeted treatments can be designed. According to the National Kidney Foundation, about 30 percent of patients with type 1 diabetes and 10 to 40 percent of those with type 2 diabetes will eventually have end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The study focused on the kidney’s glomerulus, which act as the key unit for blood filtration. Researchers studied three different cell types, using two sets of mice. One group naturally developed diabetic kidney [...]

Research Shows Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Cuts Kidney Patients’ Medicine Expense in Half

2024-03-28T21:01:41-04:00October 19th, 2016|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Lifestyle, Medication, Nutrition, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of kidney disease. When blood pressure is too high, blood vessel walls can thicken and become stiff which can also damage organs throughout the body such as the kidneys. Not only can high blood pressure damage kidneys, but kidney disease can lead to high blood pressure. If kidneys are damaged and can no longer make an enzyme known as renin, blood pressure can be elevated. With continued emphasis on managing and even preventing chronic conditions to improve overall health, research is continuing to occur to find effective interventions to treat conditions such as [...]

“DASH” Diet Lowers Blood Pressure and Reduces Risk of Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:01:49-04:00August 29th, 2016|Categories: eNews, News & Events, Nutrition, Staying Healthy, What Causes Kidney Disease, What Is Kidney Disease|Tags: |

Research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet has shown to be effective in preventing other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. The diet is high in nuts and legumes, low-fat diary, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and low in red and processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and sodium. Researchers examined records from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study which in 1987 began following a group of over 15,000 middle aged adults for more than 20 years. The ARIC Study was started in 1987 by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute [...]

Vaccine Changes for the 2016-2017 Flu Season

2024-03-28T21:01:53-04:00July 18th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Immunizations, Pediatric Kidney Disease|

While it feels like summer just started, the Centers for Disease Control has already begun preparation for the next flu season. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted that live attenuate influenza vaccine (LAIV) also known as the “nasal spray” flu vaccine, should not be used during the 2016-2017 flu season. ACIP is a panel of immunization experts that advise the CDC. Their decision to vote against using LAIV is based on data showing poor or relatively lower effectiveness from 2013 to 2016. In late May, preliminary data on the effectiveness of LAIVE among children ages 2 through 17 [...]

New Tool Available to Help Patients Choose their Treatment

2024-03-28T21:01:55-04:00July 18th, 2016|Categories: eNews, In-Center Hemodialysis, News & Events, Peritoneal Dialysis, What Is Kidney Disease|

We frequently hear from dialysis patients about how they were not adequately informed of their treatment options before having to start treatment. While many patients end up “crashing” into dialysis, those who are diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) early need to begin educating themselves on their treatment options to be prepared for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). There are three avenues of treatment you can choose for renal replacement therapy: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplant.  While it is possible to receive a transplant before needing dialysis, it is still important to know what those dialysis options are in the [...]

Cystinosis, One of 7,000 Rare Diseases

2024-03-28T21:02:02-04:00May 28th, 2016|Categories: The Kidney Citizen, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

By Terri Schleuder, VP of Education & Awareness, Cystinosis Research Network Statistically, there are over 7,000 rare diseases in the United States that collectively impact 30,000,000 people. This is the story about one of them, and an important one for kidney disease patients as nearly all cystinosis patients lose their kidney function. Also, recent data suggests a high incidence of underdiagnosis and carriers among dialysis patients. Nephropathic Cystinosis is a rare metabolic, genetic disease that affects about 500 people in the U.S. and about 2,000 worldwide. Cystinosis occurs in a child when he/she inherits the recessive gene, identified in the late 1990’s [...]

New Report Highlights Statistics on Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States

2024-03-28T21:02:06-04:00May 5th, 2016|Categories: Costs for Treatment, eNews, News & Events, Treatment, What Is Kidney Disease|

A recent report assessing chronic kidney disease in the United States offers statistics on the condition that affects almost 14 percent of the U.S. population. The data, compiled by researchers at the University of Virginia, focuses on prescriptions used by chronic kidney disease patients with Medicare Part D. “This report is a one-stop shop to try to understand the prevalence of kidney disease, how it’s being treated and how the burden affects various populations,” said researcher Rajesh Balkrishnan of the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “If we can identify which treatment modalities are working and how they’re used and link [...]

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