Recognizing World Kidney Day and National Kidney Month

March is #NationalKidneyMonth and today is #WorldKidneyDay – an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of kidney health and the role we play as a healthcare community in reducing the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD).?

An estimated 37 million Americans are living with CKD, yet 90% have not received a diagnosis.?

It is a hard statistic to believe – 90% of the 37 million Americans living with CKD have?not?received a diagnosis. That means over 33 million Americans are living with CKD and don’t know it.

It is also a tragic statistic given CKD is often a “disease multiplier,” presenting with other progressive diseases. Because of this, older adults with CKD are 13x more likely to die before progressing to end stage kidney disease (EKSD) and 6x more likely to die from cardiovascular causes.??

Timely intervention, especially for those with the risk factors of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension, can provide patients with the treatment options they need to reduce the risk of complications and delay progression to advanced stages that could require dialysis.?

Patients depend on their doctors to catch CKD in its early stages by identifying risk factors, providing regular health screenings of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and keeping a close eye out for the following signs of CKD in patients:?

·???????More tiredness and less energy?

·???????Trouble concentrating?

·???????Trouble sleeping?

·???????Dry and itchy skin??

·???????Need to urinate more often??

·???????Blood in urine??

·???????Urine that is foamy

·???????Persistent puffiness around eyes

·???????Swollen ankles and feet?

·???????Poor appetite?

·???????Cramping?of muscles?

Now, with modern therapies available, we have the ability to diagnose and treat CKD patients earlier in their journey to reduce the likelihood of ESKD and need for dialysis. Managing CKD is more than just developing new treatment options, so we are also supporting the HCP community by providing physicians with helpful resources to support conversations with patients. Our?patient discussion guide ?is a great resource to use when speaking with patients about CKD.?

This National Kidney Month, and every month, I’m inspired by AstraZeneca’s commitment to transforming the future for the millions of people at risk of and living with CKD. We are working tirelessly to advance the science to improve treatment options and chart a new course in CKD care. For more information on how early intervention can make a difference and to hear from leading healthcare experts about how to support your patients along their CKD journey, go to?DiagnoseCKDNow.com .?