NEW YORK, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National Kidney
Foundation (NKF) Observes National Call Your Doctor Day on
Tuesday, June 8th by
asking everyone to get their annual exams because early prevention
strategies are the keys to good health. Maintaining optimal health
demands that people stay knowledgeable about their overall health
and are aware of silent killers like kidney disease which affects
more than 37 million adults in the U.S., 90% of whom are unaware
they even have it. This public health crisis has been made worse by
COVID-19 because people hospitalized with COVID-19 are developing
kidney failure and becoming kidney patients. As summer approaches
and the country slowly reopens, visiting friends and relatives is a
top priority for most but taking control of one's health is the
most important priority of all.
"I know first-hand that it's easy to neglect your health when
dealing with other issues like family, work, and the stresses of
the pandemic," said Kevin Longino,
CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant
recipient. "I didn't know I had kidney disease but a visit to my
doctor revealed that I did, and I was fortunate to catch it at a
stage where I was able to delay kidney failure for years by making
diet and lifestyle changes."
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure and weight, enjoying a
healthy diet, and making a yearly appointment to a primary care
physician are essential steps to taking charge of one's health. It
only takes a few minutes to make an appointment for an annual
exam.
People of certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to
develop kidney disease than others. Blacks or African Americans are
13 percent of the U.S. population, but represent 35 percent of
those with kidney failure. Hispanics or Latinos are 1.3 times as
likely as non-Hispanics/Latinos to develop kidney failure. A
leading cause of kidney disease is diabetes which is more
prevalent in these communities. Everyone needs to know about
kidney disease, but especially if you have any one of these
additional risk factors: high blood pressure, heart disease,
obesity, and family history of kidney disease.
NKF urges everyone with a risk factor to learn more about their
kidney health by taking a simple, one-minute online quiz at
MinuteForYourKidneys.org. The microsite is available in
both English and Spanish at MinuteForYourKidneys.org.
Patients should also ask their doctors about two simple tests to
diagnose kidney disease: a specific urine test, called uACR, and a
calculated blood test, called eGFR.
"National Call Your Doctor Day reminds us to take the crucial
steps needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid preventable
medical complications in the future," said Joseph Vassalotti, MD, Chief Medical Officer for
the National Kidney Foundation. With 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. at
risk for developing kidney disease because of common conditions
like diabetes and high blood pressure, we must urgently transform
understanding risk into taking actions to protect kidney health. A
great way to start is by making an appointment to see your
doctor."
For more information on kidney disease, visit kidney.org and
join the conversation on social media by using hashtag
#CallYourDoctorDay.
Kidney Disease Facts
In the United States, 37
million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and
approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. 1 in 3
adults in the U.S. are at risk for chronic kidney disease.
Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood
pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or
Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease.
Blacks or African Americans are almost 4 times more likely than
White Americans to have kidney failure. Hispanics are 1.3
times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.
Approximately 785,000 Americans have
irreversible kidney failure and need dialysis or a kidney
transplant to survive. More than 555,000 of these patients receive
dialysis to replace kidney function and 230,000 live with a
transplant. Nearly 100,000 Americans are on the waitlist for a
kidney transplant right now. Depending on where a patient
lives, the average wait time for a kidney transplant can be upwards
of three to seven years.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most
comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization
dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney
disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit
www.kidney.org.
Facebook.com
twitter.com/nkf
www.kidney.org
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-kidney-foundation-observes-national-call-your-doctor-day-301308090.html
SOURCE National Kidney Foundation