April 2008
National Kidney Month
Dear Friend,
National Kidney Month is an appropriate
time to remind ourselves that Hawaii has one of the
highest rates of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End
Stage Renal Disease in the nation. According to the
National Kidney Foundation, 26-million American adults
have CKD in the U.S, and Hawaii, with our large Asian
and Pacific Island population, has even a higher rate
than the nation as a whole. About one in every seven
people in Hawaii — 156,000 — suffer from CKD. Indeed, it
is projected that within the next few years that number
will balloon to 20% of the state’s population. Since the
symptoms of CKD can be subtle and silent, it often
progresses to End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), which
requires kidney dialysis. Given the high prevalence we
are already experiencing, you may know someone on
dialysis today.
First, it’s important to know whether
or not you have risk factors, such as diabetes, high
blood pressure or a family history of CKD or ESRD.
Another major risk factor is ethnicity. One of the
reasons Hawaii has such a high rate of these diseases is
that Asian and Pacific Islander populations are at a
higher risk of developing kidney disease.
The next step in preventing kidney
disease is identification through screening. Although
most kidney diseases can be prevented or controlled,
Chronic Kidney Disease presents no symptoms in the early
stages. So, simple tests that your doctor can perform,
like measuring the serum creatinine in your blood to
estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR),
measuring the protein content in your urine, and
checking your blood pressure, can provide important
indications of kidney problems.
Early stage kidney disease can be
managed by controlling your blood sugar, if you are
diabetic, and keeping your blood pressure low. Taking
these early steps with your doctor could prevent the
need for dialysis later. Once your kidneys fail, you
will either need dialysis or a kidney transplant to
survive. But, kidney failure can be prevented.
To learn more about Chronic Kidney
Disease, talk to your doctor. You can also find valuable
information at the National Kidney Disease Education
Program at the National Institutes of Health. Their
website is at www.nkdep.nih.gov.
Chronic diseases are one of the major
reasons for skyrocketing medical and healthcare costs.
But the good news is that many of these diseases can be
prevented or managed effectively. This begins with
proper risk assessment and detection, and may require
some lifestyle changes. It isn’t always fun, but taking
these early steps may save you money, could save your
life, and allow you to enjoy a better quality of life.
Aloha,
Neil Abercrombie
Member of Congress
