kidney disease

High homocysteine levels: Causes and diagnosis

High homocysteine levels are associated with increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Homocysteine is an amino acid and is a breakdown product of protein metabolism. It is thought that having excessive levels of this amino acid contribute to the formation of plaque, damaging arterial walls. High levels of homocysteine may also increase the risk ...click here to read more

Weekly health news roundup: Arthritis treatment, diabetic kidney disease, numbness, and tingling in legs

In case you missed it, here is Bel Marra Health’s weekly health news roundup, featuring information on arthritis treatment, diabetic kidney disease, and numbness and tingling in the legs. Researchers develop new arthritis treatment Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis are developing a new treatment for arthritis that can ease symptoms and make existing ...click here to read more

Anti-aging hormone may lead to treatments for kidney and heart disease

A deficiency of the anti-aging hormone klotho has been found in patients with diabetes who are also suffering from early stage kidney disease—a discovery that may lead to the development of new treatments. This hormone has previously been linked to the protection of the vascular system and has been found to help prevent abnormal symptoms ...click here to read more

Potential prevention method for worsening of diabetic kidney disease

Diabetic kidney disease is very difficult to treat, though a new study from Karolinska Institutet has shown promising results in preventing this disease from worsening. The disease is also referred to as diabetic kidney failure, and is the biggest reason patients undergo dialysis—sometimes, they may even require kidney transplantation. It is often detected through the ...click here to read more

Dialysis testing methods found inconsistent

New research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Virginia Commonwealth University have revealed that a blood test currently used to determine the health and well-being of patients undergoing dialysis treatment may be producing inconsistent results. This test is administered by physicians to help them make informed decisions about patient care, meaning these ...click here to read more

High systolic blood pressure levels increase the risk of coronary heart disease in chronic kidney disease patients

Systolic blood pressure levels over 140 mm Hg increase the risk of coronary heart disease in chronic kidney disease patients. For the study, the researchers looked at the association between blood pressure and other clinical outcomes in over 300,000 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The study revealed that systolic blood pressure over 140 mm Hg ...click here to read more

Kidney disease risk may increase with metabolic syndrome

Kidney disease risk may increase with metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of disorders making one more susceptible to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The researchers reviewed medical literature and combined data from 11 studies to examine the relationship between metabolic syndrome and the risk of kidney disease. The studies included over 30,416 individuals. The ...click here to read more

Kidney disease and alcohol consumption: Causes of kidney pain after drinking alcohol

It is often advised to avoid alcohol consumption if you have kidney disease as it can result in kidney pain, among other complications. Furthermore, consuming over four alcoholic beverages can worsen kidney disease. The CDC estimates at least two out of three Americans consume alcohol, and some drinkers consume over five drinks at a time. ...click here to read more

Diabetic nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease) causes, symptoms, and treatment

Diabetic nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease) is a type of kidney disease which is common among diabetics, especially those who do not have their diabetes under control. In diabetic neuropathy, the kidneys are unable to filter waste from the blood. Over time, this causes damage to the blood vessels, which may ultimately contribute to kidney failure, ...click here to read more

Diet high in fruits and vegetables may aid in kidney disease treatment

A new study found that kidney disease patients who consume three or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day fare better, compared to fellow patients who rarely consume fruits and vegetables. These patients experienced a reduction in their blood pressure along with greater medical cost savings. The findings come from a multi-year study of ...click here to read more

Early stages of kidney disease detected, understood with innovative research technique: Study

Early stages of kidney disease may be detected and understood with innovative research technique. The scientists have combined tiny gold nanoparticles with in vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging technique to study early stages of kidney disease in animal models. Lead researcher Dr. Jie Zheng said, “They call kidney disease the silent killer, because in its early ...click here to read more

Kidney disease patients on dialysis often have impaired “good” HDL cholesterol: Study

Kidney disease patients on dialysis often have impaired HDL cholesterol. Although higher levels of HDL cholesterol are well-known for helping ward off heart disease, the same doesn’t hold true for kidney disease patients on dialysis. The researchers analyzed blood samples from 24 hemodialysis patients, 14 peritoneal dialysis patients, and 20 healthy controls. They found that ...click here to read more