What’s the Issue?
Photo Credit: Peshkova/iStock Photo
In
the American conscience many health issues weigh heavily and drive
innovation, creative thought, and problem solving across various
markets. This is evidenced in the plethora of guides and thought-pieces
that surge have surged the internet with the arrival of the new year–and
all the health-minded resolutions that accompany it. One consideration
that is oddly absent in these trends, however, is one of the most
pressing health concerns in the world–perhaps due to this lack of
awareness.
What is Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease is the
unfortunate but all-too-common reality where the body is no longer able
to filter the body’s waste through the kidneys at the level of
efficiency needed in order to maintain healthy functionality. This level
of efficiency drops off rapidly with the progression of kidney disease
ending in renal failure (kidney failure), which is irreversible and
requires physicians to intercede with either a kidney transplant, or
lifelong reliance on dialysis. With such daunting health outcomes, it is
strange indeed that more Americans are not aware of this disease.
The Stark Reality
Statistics from the United States Renal Data system
show
that 15% of Americans have kidney disease, a number that represents
nearly 50 million Americans. Despite the size of the group of those
afflicted with kidney disease, only about 10% are aware that they have
the disease. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of kidney disease
are notoriously hard to detect, and even more noticeable symptoms are
easily confused with less problematic health issues such as dehydration
or a poor diet.
Kidney.org reports that kidney disease claims more lives annually than testicular cancer in men, and breast cancer in women.-->
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