[tabi] health info for blind individuals
- From: "Chip Orange" <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:05:10 -0400
Below is an article, which pertains to blind individuals only in that we so
often have diabetes; it is however quite interesting, even if you don't:
Is Kidney Disease Contagious?
It may sound odd that a recent study found a connection between being married
to a person with kidney disease and increased risk for you -- but doctors see
the findings as entirely logical. While kidney disease isn’t itself contagious,
a major risk factor -- lifestyle -- is. If you’re not sick yet, you may still
be able to stop the disease in its tracks... if you act fast.
At Risk for Kidney Disease?
Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan studied 178 patients
whose kidney disease had advanced to the point where they required dialysis.
Since it’s widely known that several causes of kidney disease (diabetes and
hypertension) have genetic roots, they also studied 196 of their first- and
second-degree relatives -- parents, siblings, children, grandparents,
grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and half-siblings, as well as a
control group from the general population. In order to determine whether
husbands and wives also have a higher-than-average risk, the researchers
compared these groups to 95 men and women married to chronic kidney disease
(CKD) patients.
The researchers found that CKD was indeed prevalent in spouses of patients --
even more so than among their relatives, who shared their genetic traits. After
compensating for age and other factors, researchers found that, compared with
the control group, incidence of kidney disease was 2.55 times higher in
relatives... and 2.8 times higher in spouses. These differences are
statistically significant, meaning that having a husband or wife with kidney
disease raises your risk more than having a relative who has it.
Who Knew?
It’s concerning that so few people are familiar with the risk factors for CKD,
I learned from Kerry Willis, PhD, head of scientific activities at the National
Kidney Foundation -- she called it "a dangerous state of affairs" since people
with CKD rarely experience symptoms until it reaches the late stages. Symptoms
can include fatigue... weakness... difficult, painful urination... foamy
urine... pink, dark urine (blood in urine)... puffy eyes... swollen face,
hands, abdomen, ankles, feet... increased thirst... and increased need to
urinate (especially at night) -- but these are unlikely to arise until the
disease is advanced. That’s when patients will likely end up with kidney
failure and then require dialysis or a transplant to stay alive.
Dr. Willis said that all adults should assess their risk for CKD. If you have
diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or a family history of
these conditions or of kidney disease, she advises going a step further. Get
tested for kidney disease using a urine test for protein and a blood test to
estimate kidney filtration rate. "This study suggests that spouses of dialysis
patients should get tested, too, even if they have no other risk factors," she
added.
And you know I’m going to stick in a reminder to follow a lifestyle that
lessens the chance that you’ll get sick. To maintain kidney health, the
National Kidney Foundation recommends...
* Don’t smoke.
* Get plenty of exercise.
* Maintain a healthy weight.
* Follow a balanced diet.
* Drink alcohol only in moderation.
* Stay hydrated.
The bonus is that living this type of lifestyle will also reduce your risk of
developing several other serious medical conditions, including heart disease
and colorectal cancer. What a deal!
Source(s):
Kerry Willis, PhD, senior vice president for scientific activities, National
Kidney Foundation, New York City. www.Kidney.org <outbind://24/www.Kidney.org>
<http://edhn.bottomlinesecrets.com/a/hBMY44xB74VNIB8SDfpNFNORvrJ/dhn7
<http://edhn.bottomlinesecrets.com/a/hBMY44xB74VNIB8SDfpNFNORvrJ/dhn7> > .
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