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Early diagnosis is essential in the case of CKD. The sooner you know you have CKD, the better for you. Your doctor may then recommend that you take effective and proven measures to slow down the progression of your disease and help preserve kidney function. The purpose of this guide is to provide information about the disease and useful tips.
What are the functions of the kidneys?
The kidneys are the body’s filtration system and have a very important job to do. They filter the blood, removing unnecessary metabolic products and impurities from it, while regulating the content of these substances and nutrients that the body needs. The kidneys do not regenerate after damage and disease as well as other organs, so every effort should be made to care for them. Kidney function affects every other system in the body. There is a particularly close relationship between the kidneys and the heart. Damage to one of these organs can damage the other, which in turn can result in serious health complications.
How well are your kidneys functioning? Know your kidney function parameters
CKD is classified into stages 1 to 5. These stages are determined by a factor called eGFR *, which indicates how well the kidneys are performing their filtering function. Fortunately, eGFR is a parameter that your doctor can easily monitor. It is included in most comprehensive blood tests performed as part of regular periodic tests. Monitoring eGFR can tell your doctor that your kidney function is deteriorating. In this case, you can discuss additional actions to be taken with your doctor.
Why might you have developed CKD?
CKD is called a ‘silent disease’ because most people do not experience any symptoms in the early stages. However, there are a number of risk factors that are more common in patients who develop this condition. The three leading risk factors for CKD are diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, but there are also others – some we control and some are beyond our control. The attached figure shows common risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, body weight, family history, and age.
What can you do to protect your kidneys from worsening CKD?
It has been shown that taking appropriate action early can help to preserve kidney function by delaying the initiation of dialysis or even preventing dialysis from being needed. Dialysis is a process that is necessary for basic blood filtering when the kidneys can no longer fulfill this function effectively. These treatments are usually necessary in CKD stage 5, when the kidneys are 85% or more failing. Here are the steps you can take now to stop the further progression of CKD. An added bonus: they are also beneficial to every other system in the body, especially the cardiovascular system!
- If you have diabetes, make every effort to maintain a normal blood glucose level. Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of CKD.
- Monitor and control your blood pressure.
- Maintain a normal cholesterol level to prevent further damage to your blood vessels.
- Follow a kidney-friendly diet; consult a dietitian about this.
- Tell your doctor about all medications you are taking, including over-the-counter and vitamins. Some of them may be harmful to the kidneys.
- Take part in regular physical activity and try to gain or maintain a healthy weight.
- Do not smoke; cigarette smoke can make kidney damage worse.
- Get regular check-ups with your doctor who can prescribe medications to protect your kidneys from the progression of CKD.
You are not alone
It is estimated that 9 out of 10 people with CKD are unaware of the disease. If you know about her, you are one of the lucky ones. Taking active steps early can help slow the progression of the disease or even prevent complete kidney failure. We encourage you to perform prior screening tests and prior diagnosis of CKD.
Here are three simple actions you can take:
- check kidney function more often;
- get to know your kidney function parameters,
- talk to your doctor about this.
“For those who have just found out about this diagnosis, I’d say don’t panic.” – a patient with CKD.
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