| Millions of Americans in Early Stages of CKD Need Stroke Monitoring |
Millions of Americans in the early stages of chronic kidney disease are at an increased risk of having atrial fibrillation (AF), a major risk factor for stroke, according to new research. While it is known that patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have high rates of AF, new findings show that patients in early stages of CKD experience similar rates of AF.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia in the general population, and is one of the strongest risk factors for stroke. While AF prevalence in the general population ranges from 1 to 8 percent, the estimated prevalence of AF among patients with ESRD has been reported to be between 13 and 23 percent. The study showed that nearly one in five study participants with early stages of CKD had evidence of AF, a rate similar to that reported among patients with ESRD and two to three times of that reported in the general population. The study appears in the American Heart Journal. |
| Attend a Kidney Beginnings: Live Program Near You! |
 Kidney Beginnings: Live is heading to Albuquerque, NM. Kidney Beginnings: Live is a FREE educational program designed to educate individuals about the basics of kidney disease and proper kidney care. Attendees receive complimentary educational materials, learn about kidney disease in a welcoming atmosphere and have the opportunity to have questions answered by local health care professionals.
Please continue to check the AAKP website for more upcoming locations and dates.
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| Common Hypertension Drugs Can Raise Blood Pressure in Certain Patients |
| Commonly prescribed drugs used to lower blood pressure can actually have the opposite effect - raising blood pressure in a significant percentage of patients, according to a new study. The study suggests doctors could avoid this problem and select drugs most suitable for their patients by measuring blood levels of the enzyme renin through a blood test that is becoming more widely available.
Researchers say that two groups of patients might especially benefit from having their renin levels measured: patients being prescribed antihypertensive drugs for the first time and patients who are taking multiple antihypertensive drugs when one or two might work just as well. With renin testing, you will more often get blood pressure under control with less therapy. The study appears in the American Journal of Hypertension.
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| Heart Beat May Signal Kidney Risk |
| A high resting heart rate and low beat-to-beat heart rate variability raises the odds of developing kidney disease, according to a study. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital found that over a median follow-up of 16 years, subjects aged 45-64 years with higher resting heart rates had a twofold increased risk of eventually developing kidney failure; those with a lower beat-to-beat variability in heart rate had a 1.5-fold increased risk, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. |
| Register Now for the Next AAKP Healthline Call |
 The upcoming AAKP HealthLine call, titled I'm Always Tired...Anemia vs. Depression, takes place Wednesday, October 6, from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET. The call focuses on the possible side effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) - anemia and depression. Many of the symptoms of anemia and depression are similar including: fatigue, loss of appetite, feelings of sadness and lack of energy.
To register for this HealthLine call, please contact AAKP at (800) 749-2257 or register online. |
