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A Draheim Dimensional Presentations

Program

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Kidney Care: Keeping Your Blood Clean &

Yourself Healthy!

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Left KidneyRight Kidney

Left UreterRight Ureter

Urine Bladder

Urethra

If we could magnify the ti ssues inside the kidney, we would see the very small blood vessels that conti nually fi lter waste from your blood day and night.

Although we have a great many “fi ltering vessels” in each kidney, it is VERY important for us to take care of them so that they do not become damaged and the kidneys conti nue to perform normally.

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What steps can you take to protect the health of your kidneys?

Salina Gonzales

My life choices

Appointments with myhealth care team

Physical examination and laboratory test results

Work with your health care teamIt will be important for you to discuss individual goal ranges for your-• Blood glucose (sugar) – (don’t forget to take your blood

glucose (sugar) record book with you)

• Hemoglobin A1c

• Blood pressure

• Blood lipids= cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides

• Weight management if applicable

Work with your health care teamYou are the most important person on the team sobe sure to keep your appointments and be an acti vepart of the conversati on!

During your appointment; speak to each other and use words that everyone understands. Asking for writt en informati on and instructi ons is oft en very helpful.

If you have questions, bring a list of them to the office visit. Remember, don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell your health care provider if you do not understand what they are saying or have written.

Visit about life choices that can be used at home , work,or out socially that can protect and improve the healthof your kidneys. Some things you may want to talk aboutare food and beverage choices, ti ming of meals, exerciseand acti vity, ti ming of medicati ons etc.

Signs that the kidneys may not be working normally can include:

• Abnormal amounts of protein in the urine

• Reduced urine flow when you go to the bathroom

• Swelling of your face and/or extremities (arms, hands,legs, feet)

• Unplanned weight gain or difficulty breathing with just minor amounts of activity or exertion

• Unusual increase of your blood pressure

• Repeated bladder and/or kidney infections

• Unusually elevated amounts of waste remaining in the blood stream

• Abnormally low amounts of waste being filtered out of the blood and into the urine

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Laboratory tests that are often used to measure how well the kidneys are working include:

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) = blood test

Serum Creatinine = blood test

Creatinine Clearance = urine test

Albumin Excretion Rate (AER) = urine test

Albumin-Creatinine Ratio (ACR) = blood test

Micro albumin = urine test

Macro albumin = urine test

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) = urine test

Ferritin, Phosphorous, Calcium, Potassium = blood test

Your health care provider will select which of the tests should be done for your individual care needs.