AAKP Renal Flash June 2011

AAKP

AAKP Renal Flash

In This Issue

AAKP Partners with CaringBridge

Register for the AAKP National Convention

Medicare to Exhaust Funds by 2024

Diabetes Glucose Test Works Poorly for Dialysis Patients

Lithium and Kidney Disease

Capitol Hill Visits

A Cart Designed for All Dialysis Patients.

Visit www.ipu.com for more information.

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The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is proud to announce a new partnership with CaringBridge®. CaringBridge provides free websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier. Powered by generous donors, CaringBridge websites offer a personal and private space to communicate and show support, saving time and emotional energy when health matters most. To create your own website, visit www.caringbridge.org/AAKP.

June 2011

Register Today for the AAKP National Convention!

Registration is now open for the 38th Annual American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) National Convention. The AAKP National Convention is the largest event of its kind, bringing together patients, family members and renal professionals for three days of learning and fun. Hundreds of participants from across the United States attend. The event is taking place at the world famous Peabody Little Rock Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas.

In addition to the educational aspects of the meeting, attendees have the unique opportunity to share their experiences and concerns with their fellow kidney patients. The program includes panels of patients to encourage this type of interaction and sessions by mental and social health professionals to cover the emotional and social aspects of living with a chronic condition.

Visit the AAKP website, www.aakp.org, or call 1-800-749-2257 for more information.

Medicare to Exhaust Funds by 2024

The Medicare Trustees released a report in May that found the Medicare Trust Fund is projected to run out of money in 2024.

Payment for the Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund were lower than expected this year, according to the report. The Trustees annual report said that Medicare's Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund is now projected to remain able to pay until 2024. Last year the Trustees said it would be able to pay until 2029.

Click here to read the report.

Common diabetes glucose test works poorly for dialysis patients

diabetes testing The gold standard long-term glucose monitoring test for patients with diabetes is of limited value in dialysis patients, according to a new study at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study appears online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Patients and physicians rely on the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test to measure an individual's average blood sugar level over the prior three months. It is the most commonly used long-term blood sugar test, and is widely trusted in the medical community.

While the American Diabetes Association has deemed the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test an effective tool for diagnosing diabetes, the study recently determined that the HbA1c is not as useful for managing patients with diabetes and advanced kidney failure. Another test, the glycated albumin or GA assay, appears to be more effective in this setting, according to the study.

Click here to read more on the study.

Lithium and Kidney Disease: Risks and Benefits

Lithium is toxic to the kidneys directly and when used for years can slowly damage kidneys. Research has found after about 10 years on this medicine, changes within the kidneys are permanent and stopping the use of lithium will not improve kidney function.

For this reason there are a number of people who ultimately lost their kidney function due to lithium use and require dialysis treatments or a transplanted kidney. Although this medicine does treat bipolar disorder very well, careful monitoring is essential to avoid these devastating side effects. In most cases, the lithium should be stopped and alternative treatments sought when kidneys show signs of damage.

The use of lithium as a treatment for many mental health conditions remains controversial - do the benefits of this treatment outweigh the risks it may cause? In the May 2011 issue of aakpRENALIFE, Dr. Sean Harvey explains how lithium use can be toxic to the kidneys and what to watch out for if it is consider as a treatment option for you.

AAKP Team-Up with RPA to Conduct Congressional Hill Visits

On Monday, June 6, 2011, 50 kidney disease patients and renal physicians joined forces to raise awareness about access to quality care to Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. Patients vounteers with AAKP partnered with physicians with the Renal Physician Association (RPA) and met with several Congressional staff members from their home states to promote agenda items important to the safety and well-being of kidney patients.

During the Congressional visits, participants discussed providing patients access to quality care, legislation extending Medicare coverage of immunosuppressant drugs for kidney transplant recipients and legislation allowing Medicare to cover more frequent dialysis treatments.