Assessing Your Risk
Your CKD Risk: 5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you know someone with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or if you’ve heard about it in the news, you may wonder about your own risk level. Here are five questions to ask your doctor to help assess your risk of this condition.
Proteinuria
If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, your doctor may check for proteinuria during your routine checkup. So what exactly is proteinuria? In this article, we explain the different types of proteinuria, how it’s diagnosed and treatment.
Causes of Low Cholesterol in People with Kidney Disease
For most people, a low cholesterol lab result indicates less risk of cardiovascular disease, but for someone with kidney disease, the relationship between low cholesterol and heart disease is less clear. A low cholesterol reading can be caused by complications related to chronic kidney disease (CKD), such as malnutrition and inflammation.
Lupus and chronic kidney disease
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily targets women, especially minorities, in their childbearing years. While the effects of lupus can range from mild to severe, about half of all lupus patients suffer kidney damage that may lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD) or even kidney failure.
IgA NEPHROPATHY (BERGER'S DISEASE)
IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger’s disease, is a type of chronic kidney disease that can either cause acute renal failure and one day go into remission, or become chronic kidney disease (CKD) that may eventually lead to end stage renal disease (ESRD). To better understand IgA nephropathy, learn about the symptoms, risk factors, causes and treatments for this type of kidney disease.
HIV/AIDS and chronic kidney disease
People who are HIV-positive or living with AIDS may be at risk for kidney disease because of the progression of the AIDS virus and the side effects of the medicines they take to control it. Learn what to look for and what questions to ask your health care professional about chronic kidney disease if you have or know someone with HIV.
Goodpasture's syndrome
Goodpasture’s syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that affects the lungs and kidneys. It’s not fully clear how people get Goodpasture’s syndrome, but genetics may play a role. In most cases, people can recover from the lung infection, and early detection may halt further kidney damage. Learn more about the signs, causes and treatments of Goodpasture’s syndrome.
Cholesterol and chronic kidney disease
If you watch television, you may have seen commercials for cholesterol-lowering drugs or that certain cereals can help your cholesterol over time; it seems that high cholesterol is common in the general population. People with chronic kidney disease should also be aware of their cholesterol level, as high cholesterol may lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is common for people on dialysis. Learn about cholesterol, how it affects those with kidney disease and what you can do to stay healthy.
Anemia and chronic kidney disease
When people think of anemia, they often think of pale skin. But anemia can affect more than just your appearance. It can leave you feeling tired and out of breath. Prolonged anemia can affect how your tissues and major organs function. For people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), anemia is a common complication. Why are people with CKD at risk for anemia? How is anemia treated? Find out more about anemia, its causes and how it can affect your well-being.
Alport Syndrome
We all have a family medical history and some conditions we may inherit. Alport syndrome is an uncommon genetic disorder which affects the kidneys. Although Alport syndrome is mainly inherited by men, women can also be affected by this disorder that causes chronic kidney disease (CKD). Learn if you are at risk for Alport syndrome, what the signs are and how you can treat this condition when it progresses to end stage renal disease (ESRD).
Diabetes: the leading cause of CKD
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the rise in part because diabetes is on the rise. If you are at risk for diabetes or have been recently diagnosed with the disease, here’s what you should know about the link between diabetes and CKD.
