Your kidneys are extremely important because they remove waste products and fluids to maintain a balance. They also release a hormone to regulate your blood pressure and control the production of red blood cells.
Learn About Kidney Disease During National Kidney Month
During the month of March, raise awareness and stay educated about kidney health. Damage to your kidneys decreases their ability to remove waste, which can build to high levels in your blood and result in many health problems. Kidney disease is diagnosed if there is some type of kidney abnormality for three months or longer.
Kidney disease:
- Is the 9th leading cause of death in the country.
- Affects more than 26 million Americans, and most don’t know it.
- Has resulted in more than 590,000 people with kidney failure in the US.
Kidney Failure and Dialysis
If kidney disease continues to progress, it can cause kidney failure, also know as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). ESRD is when the kidneys stop working well enough for you to live without dialysis. Dialysis is the process of artificially cleaning the blood with special equipment and there are 2 types:
- Peritoneal dialysis filters your blood through a tube in your abdominal that adds and removes a cleansing fluid.
- Hemodialysis uses a machine to clean your blood. During treatment, your blood travels from your body, through the dialysis machine that will remove waste and fluid, then the blood goes back to your body.
Hemodialysis Access
Dr. Handley provides exceptional care for hemodialysis access in Flower Mound, TX. Learn more about our fistula or graft maintenance and catheter placement services. Schedule an appointment online with North Texas Interventional Radiology or call (972) 724-2000.
Sources:
http://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-disease/esrd-treatment/hemodialysis/
