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Kidney Disease

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The kidneys are two organs, each about the size of a fist, located in the upper part of a person's abdomen, toward the back. The kidneys filter waste from the blood to form urine. They also regulate amounts of certain vital substances in the body.

There are many different kinds of kidney diseases. A disease of the kidney may be a short-term problem that might not cause permanent kidney damage. More often, diseases that affect the kidney are chronic problems. "Chronic renal failure" is a loss of kidney function that occurs gradually and is often "silent," going undetected for months or years.

Kidney failure most often is caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Another cause of kidney failure is overuse of medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen that are toxic to the kidneys. Some preventive measures you can take:

• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get checked regularly for diabetes and high blood pressure, as advised by your doctor.
• Limit your use of over-the-counter pain relievers.

Additional Information on Kidney Disease:

Publications

1.   High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease - This publication explains how high blood pressure can lead to kidney problems, what high blood pressure is, and how it is diagnosed and treated.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/highblood/index.htm

2.   Kidney Disease Overview - This web site contains general kidney disease information for patients and the public, how to talk to your doctor and your family about kidney disease, and additional resources.

   http://www.nkdep.nih.gov/patients/

3.   Your Kidneys and How They Work - This booklet contains information on how the kidneys work, including renal function, reasons why the kidneys would fail and the signs of kidney disease.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/index.htm

4. 10 Symptoms of Kidney Disease (Copyright © Life Options) - This on-line fact sheet provides information on how to recognize the symptoms of kidney disease.

   http://www.lifeoptions.org/kidneyinfo/ckdinfo.php?page=4

5.   Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet (Copyright © ANNA) - This publication explains what chronic kidney disease is, what the signs and symptoms are, how it is diagnosed and treated, and what nutritional guidelines a patient should follow.

   http://www.annanurse.org/download/reference/practice/ckd_fact.pdf

6. Kidney Disease (Copyright © NKF) - This web site contains information about kidney disease from the National Kidney Foundation. It links to a comprehensive guide to kidney disease and related conditions, and provides information about how your kidneys work, nutrition and fitness, and much more.

   http://www.kidney.org/kidneyDisease/

Organizations

1.   National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, HHS
2.   National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
3.   National Kidney Disease Education Program, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
4. National Kidney Foundation

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of June 2007