World Kidney Day: "Are Your Kidneys Ok?"

A surprising and alarming number of people have kidney disease and may not know it. Dr. Sudhir Shah, at UAMS says, "How many people have actually heard about kidney disease? Not too many. And the fact is, it is very common. One in 9 adults have kidney disease in the United States."

For this reason, doctors worldwide are proclaiming the first Thursday in March as World Kidney Day. Governor Beebe also issued a proclamation for Arkansas, declaring so. Dr. Shah says the main causes of Kidney Disease are Diabetes and High Blood Pressure-- two illnesses that plague Arkansas. In fact, those with Diabetes have a risk three times greater, of getting Kidney Disease, than those without Diabetes. It's also well-known, Kidney Disease can lead to another major health problem.

"People know, for example, that if you have high cholesterol, it's bad for your heart. How many people know that if you have kidney disease, even the mildest form, it's an independent risk factor for heart disease," Dr. Shah says.

"In a study, 70% of patients had blood drawn to test cholesterol, 20% for kidney disease, but it's an independent risk factor for heart disease."

Dr. Shah says making lay people and doctors aware, can lead to treatment before dialysis or transplantation is needed.

"Kidney Disease is harmful, common and treatable."