High blood pressure, or hypertension, accounts for approximately 26% of all new cases of End-Stage Renal Disease. Lowering your blood pressure now, can greatly benefit your kidneys in the future.

Nephrology, the medical specialty that deals with diseases, disorders, diagnosis, and treatment of the kidneys, is an opportunity for improved quality of life; because early treatment and management of kidney disease can slow the progression of the disease.

The Warning Signs of Kidney Disease

Warning signs include, but are not limited to: high blood pressure, swelling of the face or ankles, frequent urination, rusty or brown colored urine and back pain just below the rib cage. If you are experiencing any or all of these, ask your doctor to refer you to a nephrologist. It's important to have regular check-ups, including urinalysis and blood tests, because there are no symptoms until you have lost significant kidney function.

The Major Sources of Kidney Disease:

• Diabetes accounts for more than 40% of all new cases of end stage renal disease (ESRD).
• High Blood Pressure (hypertension) accounts for 26% of all new cases of ESRD.
• Glomerulonephrities is scarring that occurs within the groups of tiny blood vessels in the kidneys called the glomeruli. The glomeruli assist the kidneys in filtering urine from the blood.
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts filled with fluid in the kidneys that replace normal kidney tissue by non-functional cysts