Kidney Disease
Basic Kidney Information
A - Z Guide
- Click Here to visit the NKF's A to Z Guide
Kidney Learning System
- The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Learning System (KLS) provides comprehensive education along the continuum of chronic kidney disease. KLS is information you need from people you trust. See what's available for you. Click Here
Basic Facts
Nutrition and Recipes
- Nutrition and Chronic Kidney Disease
- Kidney Friendly Recipes
- Old Fashioned Apple Pie*
- Richard Dressing*
- Chicken Gremolata*
- Onion, Rice and Pasta Pilaf*
- Salt Free Pizza*
- Living Well On Dialysis - A Cookbook for Patients and Their Families*
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation Books and Videos for Patients
- List of Cookbooks
- Old Fashioned Apple Pie*
*PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader 
Links to Kidney and Health Related Resources
- Click Here for links to kidney related websites
Local Physician Discusses Kidney Disease Epidemic
Dr. Salil Gupta, a local kidney specialist, talks with WSTM Channel 3 about the epidemic of kidney disease among African Americans. The National Institute of Health reports that kidney disease is growing by 300% each year. This staggering increase is related to the fact that people are living longer and because obesity in America, high blood pressure and diabetes are all on the rise. 
The Facts About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- 26 million Americans - 1 in 8 US adults - have CKD and another 20 million more are at increased risk.
- Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.
- Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best estimate of kidney function.
- Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension.
- Persistent proteinuria means CKD.
- High risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney disease.
- African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Seniors are at increased risk.
- Three simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine and serum creatinine.
What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?
Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy by doing the jobs listed. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time. Chronic kidney disease may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders. Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease from getting worse. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. 