KIDNEY / PROSTATE

CKD is chronic kidney disease. CKD is defined as a decreased level of kidney function or the evidence of kidney damage for greater than three months. Individuals at risk for developing kidney disease are those with diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease.

Once CKD is diagnosed it is important to determine the level of kidney function. The National Kidney Foundation has identified 5 stages of chronic kidney disease. Each stage represents a level of kidney function as defined by a creatinine clearance.

The 5 stages are:

• Stage 1 CrCl > 90
• Stage 2 CrCl 60-89
• Stage 3 CrCl 30-59
• Stage 4 CrCl 15-29
• Stage 5 CrCl <15 or dialysis

The kidneys are the master chemists of the body. They filter and remove waste products from the blood, remove extra water from the body, adjust levels of minerals and chemicals in your body and produce hormones that help control your blood pressure and help make red blood cells.

There are a number of ways you can protect your kidneys and slow the progression of CKD. Good blood pressure control, diet modifications, smoking cessation and if you are a diabetic, keeping your blood sugar in a safe range are all ways you can positively affect your kidney function. In addition, keep informed about your test results, ask questions, and be involved in your treatment plan.You are the most important member of your health care team.

• Blood Tests – Zerum creatinine, Electrolytes, & BUN
• Urine Tests – Microalbumin, Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
• Imaging Tests – A renal ultrasound may be recommended to assess the size, shape and anatomy of your kidney. In addition, a CT scan, MRI or MRA may be recommended to determine possible reasons for your kidney disease.
• Kidney Biopsy – A kidney biopsy is a test where a small piece of kidney tissue is removed by a needle. The tissue is examined under a microscope to determine the cause of kidney disease.

High blood pressure damages the blood vessels and reduces blood supply to the kidney. High blood pressure can cause kidney problems and kidney problems can cause high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause a decrease in kidney function and irreversible kidney damage.

Dialysis is a process that cleans and filters your blood. There are two types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

• Hemodialysis – Hemodialysis cleans your blood using a machine with a special filter called a dialyzer. During a hemodialysis treatment blood travels from your body through tubes to the dialyzer which filters out wastes and extra water. The cleaned blood flows through another set of tubes back into your body.
• Peritoneal Dialysis – Peritoneal dialysis removes wastes and extra water from your body using the lining of your abdomen (peritoneum) to filter your blood. A special solution travels through a soft tube into your abdomen. The solution draws wastes and extra water from tiny blood vessels in your peritoneum back into the solution which is then drained from your abdomen through the soft tube.

• Eat a fresh, whole-foods diet :

  Fruits and vegetables are full of phytonutrients and antioxidants that help your cells stay healthy and replenished. The easiest way to improve your diet is to switch to the plant-heavy Mediterranean diet, which is also filled with healthy fats, such as avocados and olives. If you add spices and herbs to your foods, you not only make them more flavorful, but you benefit from their health-boosting properties. You may also need supplements to ensure that you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

• Cut down or cut out alcohol and processed foods:

  Both alcohol and processed foods can cause unhealthy inflammation in your body. You’ll want to eliminate processed foods, which are also low in nutrients and high in chemicals that could compromise your health.

• Get more exercise:

  To keep your prostate and other organs healthy, be sure you move throughout the day and also exercise several times per week. Gone are the days when one or two long bouts at the gym were considered enough. Now you must move all day long like our ancestors did.

  In fact, sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time is as bad — or worse — for your body as smoking. Every half an hour or so, get up and stretch and walk around for a few minutes. You can also use a standing desk and park far away from your destinations for extra walking time.

  Also be sure to get exercise that makes you break a sweat regularly. More exercise and a better diet reduces one of the main risk factors for BPH and prostate cancer: obesity. If you have trouble maintaining a healthy weight, we can help you with medically supervised weight loss.

• Restore your hormones:

  As men age, they lose the androgen called testosterone (T), which helps keep the prostate healthy. High enough T levels also maintain your muscle density and strength, so that you burn calories more quickly.

  If you have low T, you might start accumulating fat and losing muscle. The heavier you get, the more likely you are to develop prostate problems. Our doctors test your T levels and then recommend testosterone replacement therapy if they’re too low.

• Get a prostate exam each year:

  As part of your annual men’s health exam at Men’s T Clinic®, our physicians check the health of your prostate. Every man receives a digital rectal exam (DRE). Yup, that’s the awful test where a doctor sticks a gloved finger up your anus and you cough. But the “awful” test could save your life.

If you’re between ages 55-69 or at high risk for prostate cancer, we may also recommend a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to determine if your levels of PSA are within normal ranges. We may also advise you to get your first test at age 40 or so, to help establish a baseline “normal” value unique to you.

Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the prostate gland. In most men, prostate disease grows very slowly. The majority of men with low-grade, early prostate cancer (confined to the gland) live a long time after their diagnosis. However, prostate cancer is a very serious disease that may be life-threatening so it is important that you are examined and treated.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. A non-smoking man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop lung, colon, rectal, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma and kidney cancers combined. In fact, a man is 35 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Screening for prostate cancer can be performed in a physician’s office using two tests: the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and the digital rectal exam (DRE). The American Cancer Society recommends that both the PSA and DRE should be offered annually, beginning at age 50. Men at high risk, such as African American men and men with a strong family history should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40.

Source :

https://www.menstclinic.com
https://www.crh.org/
https://www.bcm.edu/