he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated March as National Kidney Month.
Over 26 million Americans have kidney disease and most don’t know it since there are no symptoms.
Additionally, 1 in 3 Americans is at risk for kidney disease and one in nine American adults today is living with some level of kidney disease.Dr. Sangeetha Satyan of Nephrology Associates of Dover, is one of the medical professions trying to raise awareness about the disease.
“Some of the major risk factors are to do with the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure in America," said Satyan. "So more than two-thirds, almost seventy percent or greater cause of chronic kidney disease in this country is a result of diabetes as well as high blood pressure.”
Others at high risk for kidney disease include people over age 50 and those with family history.
Satyan adds that people with high risk factors for kidney disease should be mindful of taking over the counter pain medications containing ibuprofen such as Advil or Aleve.
“Those are the medications which concurrently taken with another medication or by themselves can hurt the kidneys so it is important for people who are taking such medications regularly to talk to their doctors also and to try to avoid as much as possible,” said Satyan.
The National Kidney Foundation is urging people to assess their risk. A free kidney screening will take place at the Central YMCA in Wilmington from 10 am to 2pm Saturday.