Host Amber Smith: Here's some expert advice from nephrologist Dr. Michael Lioudis from Upstate Medical University. What can people do to reduce their risk of kidney disease?
Michael Lioudis, MD: It really is about being able to identify kidney disease to begin with. And that means going to your primary physician or advanced practice provider on a yearly basis for routine checkups.
You want to know about being able to prevent other disease or other problems that can come up as you're getting evaluated, and being able to identify kidney disease at that point in time is part of a routine checkup. Being able to prevent kidney disease or think about kidney disease, it is about getting your diabetes under good control, if you happen to have diabetes. It's about taking care of our blood pressure, if you have high blood pressure, medications, checking your blood pressures at home, it's about avoiding a certain line of medications called NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like Motrin, ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, on a long-term basis. Your doctor or advanced practice provider can help to guide you about how long you should be able to take those medications.Getting your flu shot. Physical activity. If you have high cholesterol, getting that under control.
And really sharing your medical history and your family history with your medical team. They want to know what's happened in your family. Some diseases can run through families, and understanding what that family history is can make a big difference.
Host Amber Smith: You've been listening to Dr. Michael Lioudis from Upstate Medical University.
