What does a nephrologist do?

A nephrologist specializes in care of the kidneys. This involves handling the prevention, diagnosis, and management of a range of kidney diseases, including: Hypertension Polycystic kidney disease Chronic kidney disease Kidney-related bone diseases Kidney failure Kidney stones Plasmapheresis High-risk obstetric patients The services offered by nephrologists include: Nutritional support and information Kidney donor evaluation Kidney …

A nephrologist specializes in care of the kidneys. This involves handling the prevention, diagnosis, and management of a range of kidney diseases, including:

  • Hypertension
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Kidney-related bone diseases
  • Kidney failure
  • Kidney stones
  • Plasmapheresis
  • High-risk obstetric patients

The services offered by nephrologists include:

  • Nutritional support and information
  • Kidney donor evaluation
  • Kidney transplants
  • Peritoneal dialysis training and support
  • Home dialysis training and support
  • Hemodialysis management

You can learn more about what a nephrologist does here.

Can you tell me more about the kidneys? Specifically, what is the function of our kidneys?

The kidneys are located in the middle of the back on each side of the spine. They receive about twenty percent of the blood pumped by the heart and play a very important role in the body by removing waste and extra fluid. The functions of the kidneys include: Balancing the amount of fluid within …

The kidneys are located in the middle of the back on each side of the spine. They receive about twenty percent of the blood pumped by the heart and play a very important role in the body by removing waste and extra fluid. The functions of the kidneys include:

  • Balancing the amount of fluid within the body
  • Regulating electrolyte (salt) concentrations
  • Helping to keep a steady blood pressure
  • Maintaining the body’s acid-base balance (the acidity and alkalinity of your blood)
  • Producing hormones that positively affect the bones and blood

You can learn more about the function of kidneys here.

What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and what are the symptoms?

Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage the kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy. If kidney disease gets worse, waste can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve …


Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage the kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy. If kidney disease gets worse, waste can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. The two main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, which are responsible for up to two-thirds of the cases.

Most people may not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. However, you may notice that you:

  • Feel more tired and have less energy
  • Have trouble concentrating
  • Have a poor appetite
  • Have trouble sleeping
  • Have cramping at night
  • Have swollen feet and ankles
  • Have puffiness around your eyes, especially in the morning
  • Have dry itchy skin
  • Need to urinate more often, especially at night

You can learn more about Chronic Kidney Disease here.

Who should be tested for kidney disease?

People should get checked for kidney disease if they: Have diabetes Have high blood pressure Have a family history of chronic kidney disease Are 65+ Belong to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure, such as African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian or Pacific Islanders and American-Indians Individuals with diabetes …


People should get checked for kidney disease if they:

  • Have diabetes
  • Have high blood pressure
  • Have a family history of chronic kidney disease
  • Are 65+
  • Belong to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure, such as African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian or Pacific Islanders and American-Indians

Individuals with diabetes should receive annual checks. Patients with other risk factors should talk to their health care provider about an appropriate schedule for getting checked.

Why is it important to get kidney tests?

Kidney disease often presents no symptoms until the late stages of kidney damage. Getting kidney tests is one of the only ways to know for sure how well your kidneys are functioning. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical for the management of kidney disease. If you have concerns, check in with your provider to learn …

Kidney disease often presents no symptoms until the late stages of kidney damage. Getting kidney tests is one of the only ways to know for sure how well your kidneys are functioning. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical for the management of kidney disease. If you have concerns, check in with your provider to learn more.

What is the best way to prevent kidney disease?

Making choices to ensure you keep your kidney’s healthy is the best way to prevent kidney disease. Some of these preventative steps include: Lose weight if you are overweight. Get active. Physical activity helps control blood sugar levels. Quit smoking. Get your kidneys checked at routine checkups. Take medications as directed. Keep your blood pressure …

Making choices to ensure you keep your kidney’s healthy is the best way to prevent kidney disease. Some of these preventative steps include:

  • Lose weight if you are overweight.
  • Get active. Physical activity helps control blood sugar levels.
  • Quit smoking.
  • Get your kidneys checked at routine checkups.
  • Take medications as directed.
  • Keep your blood pressure below 140/90, or ask your doctor what the best blood pressure target is for you.
  • If you have diabetes, stay in your target blood sugar range as much as possible.
  • Stay in your target cholesterol range.
  • Eat foods lower in salt.
  • Increase fruits and vegetables in your diet.

You can learn more about preventing kidney disease here.

How does high blood pressure affect kidneys?

The kidneys remove the body’s wastes from the blood. If hypertension thickens the arteries to the kidneys, less waste can be filtered from the blood. As the condition worsens, the kidneys fail and wastes build up in the blood. Dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed when the kidneys fail. About 25% of people who …

The kidneys remove the body’s wastes from the blood. If hypertension thickens the arteries to the kidneys, less waste can be filtered from the blood. As the condition worsens, the kidneys fail and wastes build up in the blood. Dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed when the kidneys fail. About 25% of people who receive kidney dialysis have kidney failure caused by hypertension.

You can learn more about how high blood pressure affects the kidneys here.

How is kidney disease diagnosed?

Patients can be tested for kidney disease in three ways:A urine test that looks for blood or protein in your urine, which could be a sign of decreased kidney function.A blood pressure test will determine if your kidney health should be tested by a doctor. High blood pressure can cause kidney disease, but kidney disease …

Patients can be tested for kidney disease in three ways:
A urine test that looks for blood or protein in your urine, which could be a sign of decreased kidney function.
A blood pressure test will determine if your kidney health should be tested by a doctor. High blood pressure can cause kidney disease, but kidney disease can also cause high blood pressure.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is a sign of how well kidneys are cleaning blood. This blood test measures how much creatinine (a type of waste) is in the blood, which allows a provider to calculate the filtration rate of the kidneys.

How is kidney (renal) failure treated?

When the kidneys fail, it means they have stopped working well enough for the patient to live without treatment. The treatments for kidney failure are either dialysis or kidney transplant. You can learn more about treatment options prior to and following kidney failure here.

When the kidneys fail, it means they have stopped working well enough for the patient to live without treatment. The treatments for kidney failure are either dialysis or kidney transplant.

You can learn more about treatment options prior to and following kidney failure here.

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is a treatment that helps the body get rid of waste and extra fluids in the blood when the kidneys no longer serve that function. The following information provides more details on dialysis. Hemodialysis is a treatment where your blood is cleaned outside your body as it passes through a special filter called an …

Dialysis is a treatment that helps the body get rid of waste and extra fluids in the blood when the kidneys no longer serve that function. The following information provides more details on dialysis.

  • Hemodialysis is a treatment where your blood is cleaned outside your body as it passes through a special filter called an artificial kidney, or dialyzer. A hemodialyzer is used to remove waste and extra chemicals and fluid from your blood. To get your blood into the artificial kidney, the doctor needs to make an access (entrance) into your blood vessels. This is done by minor surgery to your arm or leg. Sometimes, an access is made by joining an artery to a vein under your skin to make a bigger blood vessel called a fistula. However, if your blood vessels are not adequate for a fistula, the doctor may use a soft plastic tube to join an artery and a vein under your skin. This is called a graft. Occasionally, an access is made by means of a narrow plastic tube, called a catheter, which is inserted into a large vein in your neck. This type of access may be temporary, but is sometimes used for long-term treatment. Hemodialysis treatments are typically done three times a week and last about four hours.
  • Home Hemodialysis is a portable dialysis machine used by patients at home for treatments four to five times a week. This treatment follows the same procedure as traditional Hemodialysis.
  • Peritoneal dialysis is a treatment where your blood is cleaned inside your body with the help of the dialysis solution that is placed into and drained from your abdominal cavity (your belly). The doctor will do surgery to place a plastic tube called a catheter into your abdomen (belly) to make an access. During the treatment, your abdominal area (called the peritoneal cavity) is slowly filled with dialysate through the catheter. The blood stays in the arteries and veins that line your peritoneal cavity. Extra fluid and waste products are drawn out of your blood and into the dialysate.

You can learn more about dialysis here.

When is dialysis needed?

Dialysis becomes necessary once a patient has lost about 80 to 85 percent of their kidney function. A provider will give you additional information when you reach this point.

Dialysis becomes necessary once a patient has lost about 80 to 85 percent of their kidney function. A provider will give you additional information when you reach this point.

When is a kidney transplant advised?

A kidney transplant is often the treatment of choice for kidney failure, when compared with a lifelong dialysis. Compared to dialysis, the benefits of a kidney transplants include: Lower risk of death Better quality of life Lower overall treatment costs Less dietary restrictions You can learn more about kidney transplants here.

A kidney transplant is often the treatment of choice for kidney failure, when compared with a lifelong dialysis. Compared to dialysis, the benefits of a kidney transplants include:

  • Lower risk of death
  • Better quality of life
  • Lower overall treatment costs
  • Less dietary restrictions

You can learn more about kidney transplants here.

Who is a candidate for a kidney transplant?

There is no age restriction on who can receive a kidney transplant, but the recipient must be healthy enough to have the operation and free of cancer or infection. All potential recipients are given a series of evaluations to ensure they’re a good candidate for the surgery. Most people will need more than one kidney …

There is no age restriction on who can receive a kidney transplant, but the recipient must be healthy enough to have the operation and free of cancer or infection. All potential recipients are given a series of evaluations to ensure they’re a good candidate for the surgery. Most people will need more than one kidney transplant in a lifetime depending on their age.

You can learn more about being a candidate for a kidney transplant here.

Where do donated kidneys come from?

Since we have two, living donors can donate a kidney. All donors go through a screening to ensure there’s a match and that they’re healthy enough for the operation. Donor kidneys may come from someone who has died (cadaver donor). Both work well, but getting a kidney from a living donor should work faster and …

Since we have two, living donors can donate a kidney. All donors go through a screening to ensure there’s a match and that they’re healthy enough for the operation. Donor kidneys may come from someone who has died (cadaver donor). Both work well, but getting a kidney from a living donor should work faster and last longer.

How long does it take to get a kidney transplant?

Most people wait three to five years for a kidney from the national transplant waiting list in the United States. During this waiting period, the patient will likely need to be on some form of dialysis. Surgery must happen as soon as possible once a kidney becomes available. You can learn more about the timeline …

Most people wait three to five years for a kidney from the national transplant waiting list in the United States. During this waiting period, the patient will likely need to be on some form of dialysis. Surgery must happen as soon as possible once a kidney becomes available.

You can learn more about the timeline for receiving a kidney transplant here.