01-07-2009, 12:07 AM
More than twenty million Americans have kidney problems. These problems include urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, kidney cancer, polycystic kidney disease (PKD), nephrotic syndrome and genetic disorders. If any of these conditions are left untreated for too long, they can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is when permanent damage keeps the kidneys from working as well as they should. When CKD is allowed to progress beyond the early stages, the kidneys begin to work so poorly that they are said to be failing. At this point, the only treatment options are dialysis or kidney transplant.Did you know?1 in 9 adults has chronic kidney disease.Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure. High blood pressure is number two.Over 82,000 people with kidney failure die each year.There are about 470,000 people relying on dialysis or kidney transplants to keep them alive.Over 70,000 patients are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, but only 17,000 will get a new kidney this year.
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