Top 10 Q & A

Kidney disease is a chronic state of low kidney function usually because of another chronic condition, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

This is one of the most commonly asked questions. For the most part, kidney disease is asymptomatic unless very advanced. A simple lab test can detect kidney disease.

In this country, the most common cause of kidney disease is diabetes followed by high blood pressure and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. In certain cases, kidney disease can be hereditary.

Unfortunately, in the early stages there are no symptoms of kidney disease. During late or advanced stages, the symptoms could be: retention of water in the body or generalized swelling, difficulty breathing, puffiness around the face and eye and frothy urine.

The most common medications that are harmful to the kidneys are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories commonly known as NSAIDs

It is always necessary to get your kidney function checked before your health care provider can advise you of the specific measures needed to protect the kidneys.

Generally, food high in sugar, high in salt and high in saturated fatty acids are harmful to the kidney.

A simple blood test and urine test along with kidney imaging is helpful in making the determination.

For the most part, kidney disease is asymptomatic, meaning it does not have any symptoms other than some abnormal labs. A lot of these conditions are fairly progressive, so it is important to have labs drawn before each visit to assess the latest situation

An initial visit reviews your prior history and the doctor may order tests to further diagnose the condition and manage it accordingly. A follow-up is a must to review the test results and discuss further treatment strategies with the nephrology team.