For Healthcare Professionals 

The Northwest Kidney Centers is pleased to help physicians all over our region share information about Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) with patients and their families. CKD is not being recognized or treated. We need the help of the entire medical community to help spread the news about this life changing illness.

Most practices screen fewer than 20 percent of their Medicare patients with diabetes, and many patients (especially African-American men) are referred to a nephrologist later than they should be.

We have compiled the following information to help you communicate the basic facts about CKD to your patients. Please contact us for additional information.

With your help, we can help with early diagnosis and life-saving treatment.

Important Chronic Kidney Disease Messages

One in nine adult Americans has CKD and most don’t know it!

Kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.

More than 20 million adult Americans have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). More than 20 million others are at an increased risk for developing CKD.

Finding this disease early and treating it can keep kidney disease from getting worse. It can also prevent complications like kidney failure, heart disease and premature death.

CKD means you have a condition that damages your kidneys. The two main causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure. Diabetes happens when your blood sugar is too high, causing damage to many organs, including kidneys and heart, blood vessels, eyes and nerves. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases. If uncontrolled, or poorly controlled, high blood pressure can cause CKD, heart attacks and strokes. CKD can also cause high blood pressure.

CKD may progress to kidney failure. CKD also increases your risk of having heart or blood vessel disease.

You may be at an increased risk for kidney disease if you:

• Have Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Family history of CKD.
• Are over 60 years old.
• Are African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or Native American.

If you have any of these risk factors, or think you may be at a higher risk for CKD, speak to your doctor about having screening tests:

• Blood pressure measurement
• Urine test to check for protein in the urine
• Blood test to measure creatinine, a waste product from normal muscle activity

The results of the creatinine blood test should be used to estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which tells how much kidney function you have.

If you are at a higher risk, you can reduce your chances of developing kidney disease:

• Get regular checkups.
• Follow prescribed treatments to control diabetes and/or high blood pressure.
• Lose extra weight by following a healthy diet and regular exercise program.
• Stop smoking, if you are a smoker.
• Avoid taking large amounts of over-the-counter pain relievers such as Ibuprofen or Advil.
• Improve your diet by eating less salt, less protein, and less fat.
• Limit the amount of beer, wine and liquor you drink.