Kidney Disease

Beaumont has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best nephrology programs in America.

The board-certified nephrologists at Beaumont offer the full range of diagnosis and treatment services, including dialysis and kidney transplant surgery. All Beaumont Health kidney transplant surgeons undergo additional specialty training by completing a fellowship in transplant surgery.

Beaumont, Royal Oak's Kidney Transplant Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive care to patients w / ith chronic kidney disease, including end-stage renal disease. The center offers one of the newest and most-advanced procedures for living donors - laparoscopic nephrectomy, using smaller incisions so donors recover more quickly.

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, in collaboration with Gift of Life Michigan, was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for achieving outstanding organ donation rates. This marks the second consecutive year Beaumont, Royal Oak has received this national award.

The two main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, which are responsible for up to two-thirds of the cases. Diabetes happens when your blood sugar is too high, causing damage to many organs in your body, including the kidneys and heart, as well as blood vessels, nerves and eyes. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases. If uncontrolled, or poorly controlled, high blood pressure can be a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes and chronic kidney disease. Also, chronic kidney disease can cause high blood pressure.

The leading causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, in addition to:

• Heart disease
• Over age of 60 years
• African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American or Pacific Islander
• Suffer from muscle cramping at night
• Have swollen feet and ankles
• have puffiness around the eyes, particularly in the morning
• urge to urinate more often, especially at night
• have unexpected weight loss or gain

Diabetes increases pressure inside the kidney's filters. Over a period of time, this pressure damages the filters, which then leak protein into the urine. High blood pressure, or hypertension, means that the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to kidney disease, heart attacks and strokes.

One reason is that diabetes is more common in these groups than in the population at large. African Americans experience a higher incidence of high blood pressure. These groups may have an inherited tendency to develop these diseases. If you think you may be at risk for kidney disease, ask your doctor for tests, including blood and urine tests that can determine how well your kidneys are functioning. For more information, check out the two simple tests to check for kidney disease.