Your fist-sized kidneys are important for your overall health. They are responsible for filtering waste products and excess water from your body. They also play a vital role in the regulation of pH, salt and potassium, absorption of vitamin D, and production of a hormone that regulates the blood pressure and controls the production of red blood cells.

If your kidneys are damaged, all of these vital functions are affected.

Kidney Disease Causes
About 26 million Americans are affected by kidney disease.

Kidney diseases may be brought by hypertension, diabetes, or other long-term diseases. Having a kidney disease doesn’t just affect your quality of life; it can also increase your chances of developing other conditions.

The Types of Kidney Disease
There are different types of diseases affecting your kidneys. This includes:

Chronic kidney disease
Both hypertension and diabetes are major predisposing factors of chronic kidney disease.

High blood pressure is harmful to your kidneys as it can increase the pressure within the tiny blood vessels in the organ (also known as the glomeruli). Over time, this increased pressure can damage these blood vessels, ultimately leading to kidney damage and loss of function.

Just like with high blood pressure, diabetes can also lead to chronic kidney disease as too much sugar in the blood can damage the glomeruli.

Glomerulonephritis
Also known as inflammation of the glomeruli, glomerulonephritis is a kidney condition usually caused by the use of certain medications, congenital abnormalities, or infections.

Kidney stones
Kidney stones are a common disease affecting the kidneys. The stones develop as a result of the crystallization of minerals and other substances in the kidneys.

Although they rarely cause significant problems, urinating or passing out kidney stones are very painful.

Symptoms to watch out for
Kidney disease is one of those conditions that often go unnoticed until you are in a late stage of the disease.

The following are some of the symptoms of the disease in the early stages. It’s important to watch out for these as treatment outcomes for kidney disease are better when it’s treated early:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite
• Dry, scaly skin
• Frequent urination
• Muscle cramping
• Puffiness around the eyes
• Swollen feet

If you notice any of these, schedule an appointment with your provider immediately for evaluation.

Kidney Dialysis
If your kidney disease progresses to end-stage kidney failure where you have lost much of your kidney function, dialysis treatments are recommended. Dialysis removes waste from your body and helps your kidneys function.

The Vascular Surgeons of Premier Surgical are experts in installing different types of dialysis access that allow your blood to travel into the dialysis machine where it is cleaned and filtered. The physicians work with patients to help them maintain healthy and functioning vascular access as they undergo kidney dialysis.

For more information about the Premier Surgical Access Center in Knoxville, visit https://www.premiersurgical.com/premier-surgical-services/vascular-access/ or call at (865) 306-57555.

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Also known as chronic kidney failure, chronic kidney disease is the term used to describe the gradual loss of kidney function. It usually occurs as a result of a condition that impairs the kidney function, which over time can cause serious damage to the kidneys.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney stones, enlarged prostate, and polycystic kidney disease are some of the conditions that can eventually lead to chronic kidney failure.

Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Failure

The signs and symptoms of chronic kidney failure usually develop over time. You may have a chronic kidney disease if you experience the following signs and symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Unexplained loss of appetite
• Changes in sleeping pattern (having difficulty falling and staying asleep)
• Changes in how much you urinate
• Persistent itching
• Muscle cramps and twitches
• Swelling of feet and ankles
• Fatigue and weakness
• Difficulty in breathing
• Difficult to control high blood pressure

Seeking Medical Care

If you suspect that you have kidney disease, or if you have a condition that increases your risk, it’s best to see a Nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in kidney problems.

Unmanaged kidney disease can lead to serious complications like pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), heart disease, elevated potassium level, damage to the central nervous system, and weakened bones. It can also lead to irreversible kidney damage, which may eventually require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Treatment options for chronic kidney disease depend on its underlying cause. The goal of these treatments is usually to help manage the signs and symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.

The Premier Surgical Vascular Access Center in Knoxville offers comprehensive on-site diagnostic expertise and educational services to patients at risk for chronic kidney disease. We also work with kidney patients to maintain their vascular access post operation and have an on-site Access Coordinator. For more information, please visit the Premier Vascular Access & Imaging webpage.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 4 million adults in the United States are diagnosed with kidney disease. It is the ninth leading cause of death in the country, with 15.1 recorded deaths per 100,000 population.

What You Need to Know About Kidney Disease

One of the best ways to prevent a disease is knowing its nature. Awareness can help someone make smart choices in life to reduce the risk of being affected by the disease. Below are 5 important facts to know about kidney disease.

1. Adults with diabetes or high blood pressure are at high risk of developing kidney disease
   About 1 in 3 adults with diabetes and 1 in 5 with high blood pressure will be diagnoses with chronic kidney disease. These diseases can cause blood vessel damage, which can affect blood flow towards the kidneys. Other risk factors associated with kidney disease include: high blood cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, lupus, and a family history of chronic kidney disease.
2. Kidney disease increases one’s chance of having cardiovascular problems
   Having kidney disease places one at higher risk of developing cardiovascular problems, such as a heart attack or stroke. This is because kidney disease makes it more difficult to maintain normal blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels – factors that can affect one’s risk of heart disease.
3. Kidney disease can cause other health-related consequences
   When left untreated, kidney disease can lead to other health problems such as pulmonary edema, pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium), anemia, fractures, and even malnutrition.
4. Health screenings may prevent or delay the progression of kidney disease
   Health screening for those who are at high risk of developing kidney disease may help in preventing or delaying the progression of the kidney problem. Especially for those older than 50 years old and with a history of heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure
5. Dialysis can help in carrying out some of the organ’s functions when suffering from kidney disease
   People with kidney disease have a difficult time eliminating wastes and other unwanted fluid in the body. Dialysis can help in carrying out this process. Although it is not a cure for the disease, dialysis can help in improving the life of those living with serious kidney conditions.

The physicians and staff of the Premier Surgical Vascular Access Center in Knoxville are dedicated to serving patients with kidney disease. This dedication results in our access patients experiencing fewer infections, a more expedient treatment course, increased comfort level, and a reduction of stress for patient families and caregivers.

If you are suffering from kidney disease, our team is ready to provide vascular access care and management for patients undergoing dialysis.

To learn more about the Premier Surgical Vascular Access Center, visit our website here.

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Diabetes mellitus is a lifelong disease that has been growing at an epidemic rate in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 30 million Americans have diabetes. There are two basic types of diabetes; classified as type 1 and type 2.

Type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes often begins in childhood. It is an autoimmune condition as the body attacks its own pancreas, keeping it from producing insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It accounts for 95 percent of diabetes cases in adults. This type of diabetes is often associated with poor lifestyle choices. People who are overweight and with a family history of diabetes are at higher risk of developing type 2. It can often be controlled with weight management, regular physical activity, and dietary changes.

Diabetes and Kidney Disease

The rise in blood glucose can sometimes result to a rise in chemicals found in the kidneys. These chemicals tend to damage the filters of the kidney, and make the kidneys “leak” abnormal amounts of protein from the blood into the urine. So, when diabetes is left unmanaged, it may lead to this complication, which is called diabetic kidney disease.

Also known as diabetic nephropathy, this condition results from damage in the filters in the kidneys. Damage to the kidney’s’ filters can also result to accumulation of more salt, water, and waste material in the blood.

Renal failure develops when kidney damage is left untreated. Dialysis is an option for patients with kidney failure. By removing excess salt, water, and wastes from the body, dialysis can help in keeping the body in balance.

Premier Access Center

Vascular access is an important passageway to the bloodstream created by a minor surgery to be used for dialysis. Considered as the patient’s lifeline, the vascular access is what makes the dialysis possible. The vascular access should allow the full benefit of dialysis to help the patient feel as well as possible.

Two of the types of vascular access are the arteriovenous (AV) fistula and the AV graft. The AV fistula is a connection done by a vascular surgeon of an artery to a vein. The AV graft is a looped plastic tube that connects an artery to a vein.

Premier Surgical Vascular Access Center in Knoxville provides exceptional care for Access patients and their families. Our highly trained vascular physicians and staff use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and the latest in minimally invasive vascular access surgery techniques. We offer comprehensive on-site diagnostic expertise and educational services to patients who are at risk for kidney disease. Our dedicated Access Coordinator RN who  coordinates patients’ care with area dialysis clinics.  Our team will recommend and provide the vascular access best suited for your needs.

For more information about Premier Vascular Access Center, please visit our Access webpage.

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There are two common types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, people with Type 2 do not have a problem producing insulin, but their body doesn’t use the cells the way that it should. This is what doctors call “insulin resistance”. In response to this, the pancreas compensates by producing more insulin in order to get the glucose into the cells. Because the cells do no respond to insulin, the sugar begins to build up in the blood. This can cause a person to urinate frequently, feel very thirsty or hungry, and tired.

Diabetes is a huge problem nationwide, but especially in the south. There are several factors that can predispose a person to develop Type 2 diabetes. These include: a family history of the disease, obesity, an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and age.

Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Not properly managing your diabetes can increase your risk of developing kidney disease. Diabetes can  damage the  small blood vessels in the body. When these blood vessels are damaged, the kidneys can’t filter the blood and it causes the body to retain more salt and water. Kidney damage can also cause buildup of waste materials in the blood and eventually lead to kidney failure if not treated.

Renal or kidney failure occurs when your kidneys are no longer to function and keep your body in a reasonably healthy state. Dialysis is an option for patients in  renal failure, performed to keep the body in balance. Dialysis removes wastes, salt, and excess water from the body and keeps levels of potassium, bicarbonate, and sodium within safe level.

Vascular Access for Dialysis

A patient scheduled for kidney or hemodialysis requires a vascular access to allow blood to be drawn or medication delivered to the blood stream. There are two types of vascular access: arterial venous fistula (AVF) and arterial venous graft (AVG). AVF is created by joining an artery to a vein. Very similar to AVF, AVG instead uses an implanted tube with a graft to connect the artery to the vein.

The vascular access is crucial to any patient undergoing dialysis. The vascular surgeons of Premier Surgical Vascular Access Center in Knoxville specialize in the latest minimally invasive access surgical techniques. The Center’ physicians and staff are 100% dedicated to serving patients with kidney disease through comprehensive on-site diagnostic expertise and management of your vascular access. A dedicated Access Coordinator Nurse works directly with patients, their Nephrologist and Dialysis Center to address any concerns.

The dedication of the Center’s physicians and staff results in our patients experiencing fewer infections, a more practical treatment course, increased comfort level, and reduced stress for patient families and caregivers. For more information about Premier Vascular Access and Imaging Center, call 865-306-5755 to speak with the Access Coordinator or visit the Premier Vascular Access Webpage.

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Kidney Disease: Symptoms

When a person develops kidney disease, the kidneys are no longer able to filter waste products out of the blood; this can give rise to a number of signs and symptoms. There aren’t always noticeable symptoms in the early stages of kidney disease, however, when the disease progresses and as the kidneys become more damaged, the symptoms become noticeable. Signs typically include may swelling of the extremities, itchiness of the skin and fatigue.  Patients often have problems urinating or may experience a frequent need to use the restroom.

Diagnosing Kidney Disease

Diagnosis of Kidney Disease happens through blood and urine tests. Urinalysis will look for the presence of protein or blood in the urine. Blood tests look for elevated levels of creatinine, which is an indication that the kidneys are not functioning properly. Blood tests also look at the Glomerular filtration rate to analyze how efficiently the kidneys are filtering waste.

Managing Underlying Conditions

If you have an underlying condition that makes you more vulnerable to kidney disease, you need to work in partnership with your medical team to manage it effectively. For instance, if you’re diabetic then managing your blood sugars and getting regular blood and urine tests to check kidney function will be vital. Likewise, patients with high blood pressure need to keep it under control to limit damage to the kidneys.

Managing and Reducing the Risk of Kidney Disease

Management strategies will include looking at the medications you’ve been prescribed. Drugs like anti-inflammatories or gabapentin can affect kidney function so your doctor may advise you to use an alternative. Kidney disease is easy to manage in the early stages. Your medical team is likely to monitor progress, prescribe medications to manage symptoms, and suggest lifestyle changes.

A healthy lifestyle is key to reducing your risk of developing kidney disease. This means eating a balanced diet and monitoring alcohol intake. In addition, salt intake should be kept at the minimum and patients are advised stop tobacco use.

The Premier Surgical Vascular Access Center in Knoxville offers comprehensive on-site diagnostic expertise and educational services to patients at risk for chronic kidney disease. For more information, please visit the Premier Vascular Access & Imaging webpage.

The post What You Need to Know About Kidney Disease first appeared on Premier Surgical.