Identifying Kidney Failure

" I'm Clark thank you for joining us for the webcast. The sobering an estimated one out of every twelve people in America suffers from kidney. And urinary tract disease and kidney disease has a lot of the most expensive chronic disease is to treat. And partly due to an aging population it has become the ninth leading cause of death in the US. But it is also true that many kidney ailments are preventable and many are treatable. And then -- minutes we'll tell you how you can take an active role in the health of your kidney and joining our discussion this evening doctor Leonard stern thank you for being here. Dr. -- eradication and thank you it's well first the bad news kidney disease is often very hard to diagnose. One of the articles I read stated that you could have a reduction of as much as 75% of normal function. Career even aware that your kidneys are starting to -- is that true that's."

" Absolutely correct. That that there's two issues here -- the questions that you have a tremendous amount -- reserves and kidneys the port and in terms of Medicare and that typically be -- he thinks he's coming or any com and for that don't know what went broken percent. A below normal. The organist who's at the entrance -- from kidney damage our old eight that you might you these credit and that depression north critique this from working too hard. Andreotti does a lot of damage being done in the kidney and you need to -- outcomes and -- pleasure and Nina does that increase Atlanta didn't detect."

" Did you are specialists. It would go -- general practice what you really acquaint themselves with. This symptoms and warning signs of various kidney diseases and -- you say that's a very difficult thing to do. But let's talk about some of the things that your doctor might look where that you might look or say an acute situations. Well."

" That you might look at it from a slightly different perspective the general cracked during the season pension -- typically do screening blood work. And the majority of the time the patients that we would seem. Would be people whose blood work is abnormal and -- some measure of kidney function means marker called geeks here and ethnic and which is and general gauge of kidney function and -- members elevated. Then the general practitioner might suspect that there is something -- with the kidneys. Another screening tests in general practitioner could use to be here now is that they look at the presence of cocaine -- planetary else. And sometimes little blood work in addition to the crippling might give the practitioner conclude that there's a problem. -- serum protein level we Al remember must be reduced only record levels of cholesterol might be elevated. -- could be teachers are subtle -- because he's. In nearly presentations and kidney disease lets himself Coleman and the order the general practitioner will not content content. I'm permanent disorders are around the resort the order is called cute grammar -- brightest things that's sort. Which are systemic problems since then present with a variety teachers. -- high blood pressure swelling of the legs bleeding in the urine. Difficulty breathing. Major illness requiring hospital entrance. The more subtle forms with chronic kidney failure -- very little and very the patient holds a position that they urinating more frequently at night. That would might be incredibly subtle symptoms of chronic kidney failure that would largely be discarded and humankind must of course went to bed yeah."

" You know urine test you guessed it -- General physical screening -- these sorts of levels you're talking about."

" The creatine and then in general those are routine screening -- and that the standard blood work would be would look for an index of kidney function as opposed liver function of blood count things -- that --"

" You had any of this sentence should play a doctor no of course it didn't major symptoms for kidney disease and English and hit those really quickly they include."

" Frequency of urination changed frequent urination brown ribbons in your nation my peeve and another urinary tract infection. And -- many people get urinary tract infections are common in women very common in older men with prostate disease had not necessarily cause of chronic kidney failure isn't -- Symptoms related illness could lead one to -- Advice from Pakistan because that could well hover -- kidney problem what other sorts of things might expectation notice about the bear. Physical language let -- it hasn't been -- women and if you run down quietly. They -- deadly chemical decked out with -- could could be problems if there's even the length of the kidneys are dipping down -- and encourage -- ending speculation that it gets in because couldn't be stoned to death and causing progress -- kidney damage and you give a blending of the Europe -- if you don't acting in -- does someone assigns an architect of the deal -- reason -- Well you're not able to concentrate minds wondering -- police could hardly could it would give him a priest addicted."

" You can see an -- but. These are sort of very. Major symptoms and the vast majority of -- are not going to feel based on their kidney function is virtually are gone so early symptoms are extraordinarily subtle they may be. As I describe reporter might urinate more -- midnight. Can -- their ankles tied the score board the screening tests to. Well on the their blood pressure is mildly elevated and most conveniently first presentations that some subtle moment can be just seems. So when patients who lose their appetite it's trying hard dance and that's -- in England disease has progressed. I'm denounced about -- and position yeah. And it looks at various forms of here and L is doctors they also do some kind of blood work. Out problems with kidney function. Short screening blood tests are done and how we use a -- different markers so kidney functions in benchmark for the serum connecting with the widely used Internet -- to -- land. A widely used in the next concerned -- has seen need by -- is an index of me the serenity of blood. -- the kid news an organ that regulate Communist cases -- directly responsible of controlling being Indian blood cancer kidney fails and -- becomes more. Readily identified as. Podcasts. Even things like of the blood count the -- he makes a hormone that regulates our red blood cells and during the heat of the process of chronic kidney failure. The hormone stale and we don't make enough red blood cells no symptoms of that are related to Anemia which are that he can sleepiness and poor concentration. And none of -- really cause that symptoms of kidney disease. So we have troubles with the symptoms because they overlap. Anemia symptoms and kidney disease symptoms lookalike. We can creeping -- your symptoms by replacing the hormone. Once we do that many of the symptoms of kidney disease largely disappear until Leo on the Asbury Park hands. If you do to get kidney disease and hold it -- that isn't it in the case what can you tell -- what you how you proceed from the."

" Well there's certain that this example if you suspect nuclear committed Batistuta -- and that's and a lot of fans don't need to resort to what goes for kidney biopsy -- so this was done. Can and it and in -- regional -- let me -- all that comfortable with this very special needles. Particularly since from the kidney and that's important yeah and then have to because under the microscope and contend that replenish the specific --"

" And there are certain people we definitely need to keep a close eye on their kidney function people who have hypertension. Or diabetes both are very strongly linked to inherited kidney function."

" A group that have grown inherited disorder called on who's to kidney disease where the natural history -- I don't know of patient who has who will develop kidney failure typically in their fourth of this decade. And this is an inherited disorder so. They would be strong family history."

" I won't let that people had recurrent. And urinary tract infections or the incidence of kidney stones are they more susceptible to developing."

" Serious kidney disease that might lead to kidney failure against -- people who I get in effect on the upper derby cracked. Especially -- lucky for example because don't for example home could only lead to kidney failure if not I'm not need to consider."

" Managed content in treated and managed is that an indicator that there then more susceptible other forms of kidney disease now essentially."

" Particularly attuned to direct and the because infection. So give back to. -- the reason why that they are getting weak and infections you'll you'll be communicating and it's more you managed to figure out why the patient is making frequent Collins and if we could prevent that. And we could largely preventing kidney failure related to stones and infection. What happens when you have kidney failure. Unfortunately. They kidneys are sensual organs for life and untreated that it would dive -- but in the last thirty years we have technique called dialysis or transplant. That -- substitute functions fourth the kidneys -- and kidneys. And with dialysis patients can maintain my -- reasonable quality. But not normal quality because they're dependent on an artificial means of kidney replacement. But they can move reasonable lives and -- transplantation would be that if that choice for kidney failure. Unfortunately because of organ shortages. We can't provide transplants turbulent. -- at this point the number of -- Unscom the United States has been able to a decade. About 9000 a year that dependent on the shortage of kidney donors. And despite public awareness programs literally unable to raise that number."

" They would encourage people to not only on their daughter cards. It also be vigilant about their health and make sure that we need go to the doctor -- you do go to the doctor but it when you go that you get. A good full screening of volunteers in this -- again thank you so much there's so much information that we tried to cover here and I really appreciate. All of your help in helping me walk through it thank doctor Leonard stern and doctor."