GVMC Chronic Kidney Disease PSA

High blood pressure, diabetes are primary risk factors

RONCEVERTE, WV -Approximately 30 million American adults have chronic kidney disease – and millions of others are at risk, but may not know it. Kidney disease is often called the “silent killer,” because it has no symptoms until the advanced stage of the disease. In fact, 1 in 7 Americans has chronic kidney disease, but many are unaware that they have it, because they do not feel ill. West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of patients starting dialysis with kidney failure, the highest in the US.

“Chronic kidney disease (CKD) happens when the kidneys are damaged and unable to perform their cleansing and restorative functions,” states Dr. Heather Ratliff, Nephrologist. “Over a period of time, this can lead to a build-up of waste matter in the bloodstream, which makes us sick.” CKD complications include high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, nutritional deficits and nerve damage.

Dr. Ratliff also states, “many health conditions can contribute to CKD, but the primary causes are two very common conditions: diabetes and high blood pressure. Diabetes and the accompanying high levels of blood sugar can damage the organs in the body, including the kidneys and heart. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the kidneys. When these blood vessels are damaged, the kidneys are less effective at removing waste and extra fluid from the body. The excess fluid, in turn, raises blood pressure even more, which then increases the risk of chronic kidney disease – a vicious cycle. Sometimes, chronic kidney disease may progress to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation.”

Early detection of CKD is can be diagnosed through simple tests such as blood pressure measurement; a blood test for creatinine levels, which tells how effectively your kidneys are removing waste from the blood; and a urine test to measure protein levels in the urine. High levels of protein in the urine may indicate kidney disease.

“The first step in treatment is to determine the cause of CKD. Although the cause of CKD may be unknown in rare cases, there are multiple well known causes and many of these are treatable. Treatment of these causes may stop or slow the progression of chronic kidney disease.”

Dr. Heather Ratliff is a board-certified nephrologist who specializes in the treatment of kidney disorders. She is the owner of Appalachian Nephrology and Hypertension located at 289 Dawkins Drive in Lewisburg, WV and is a member of the medical staff at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center. Talk to your doctor about your risk for chronic kidney disease or visit www.gvmc.com for more information.

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