Your kidney health and heart health go hand in hand more than you may think.
SAN ANTONIO — Kidney disease can affect almost anyone at any time. And the symptoms often go undetected. In tonight’s Healthy SA we learn why your kidney health and heart health go hand in hand.
Both the American Heart Association and the American Society of Nephrology say take simple steps now is a must to protect your kidneys, safeguard your heart, and improve your long-term health.
“The connection between the heart and the kidney is so strong. For example, you know, you’ve got the heart is the pump and you’ve got the kidney is the filter,” Dr. Samir Parikh, the President of the American Society of Nephrology told us.
What do the kidneys do? Remove waste, acting as a cleaning system. Manage the body’s fluid balance. They help to regulate blood pressure. Kidneys assist in red blood cell production. And they help your bones absorb calcium.
“You can think of the kidneys as comprised of a bunch of microscopic filters of the blood….and these tiny blood vessels do not regenerate over the course of a lifetime,” Dr. Parikh also said.
The National Kidney Foundation says an estimated 37 million Americans have some type of kidney disease. But as many as nine out of 10 people do not know they have it. And right now more than 800,000 people in the U.S. are estimated to have kidney failure right now.
So what should you do if you think you may be at a higher risk for kidney disease? Talk to your doctor about getting your kidneys tested.
“Because they’re a very simple and accurate test. There’s one for the blood. there’s another one for the urine. And they can tell you about your kidney risk with great precision and accuracy,” Dr. Parikh told us.