Kidney Disease
LA County Nephrology : Experts in Treating & Managing Kidney Disease
LA County Nephrology provides a wide spectrum of services related to kidney disease including education, prevention, and treatment. Below is a list of some of the common conditions managed by LA County Nephrology physicians:
We treat a wide array of diseases including High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Kidney Disease secondary to Diabetes , Kidney Diseases that affect the blood vessels supplying the kidneys and various other organs, Kidney Disease related to Lupus , Kidney Diseases secondary to underlying Heart Disease . We guide our patients with kidney failure through to Kidney Transplant and support patients post transplant.
We specialize in providing Home Dialysis Therapies that can be done at Home including Peritoneal Dialysis (Ambulatory and Automated Peritoneal Dialysis) and Home Dialysis.
- Acute renal failure
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD)
- Anemia of kidney disease
- Glomerulonephritis
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Hypertension
- Metabolic syndrome
- Pregnancy and renal disease
- Acid base disorders
- Electrolyte disorders
- Hematuria
- Proteinuria
- Kidney stones
- Kidney transplant
What is Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a gradual loss of kidney function that occurs over months or years and results in the buildup of waste products. It is generally caused by conditions that damage the kidneys, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders.
30 million
people in the United States suffer from CKD.
Two-thirds
of all cases of CKD are directly linked to diabetes and/or high blood pressure.
African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, seniors and individuals with a family history of kidney disease are at increased risk.
Progression of CKD can lead to renal failure and require dialysis and/or a kidney transplant.
At LA County Nephrology, our goal is to identify and treat CKD early to slow progression and keep it from getting worse.
What are the Symptoms of CKD?
Most patients will not have severe symptoms until CKD is advanced. Early symptoms of CKD include:
- Dry itchy skin
- Feeling more tired and having less energy
- Muscle cramping at night
- Needing to urinate more frequently, especially at night
- Poor appetite
- Puffiness around the eyes, especially after waking up
- Swollen feet and ankles
- Trouble concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
If you are consistently experiencing one or more of these symptoms, contact your primary care provider or schedule an appointment with a LA County Nephrology physician.
What are the Stages of CKD?
To determine how well your kidneys are functioning, your LA County nephrologist will calculate the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), which is derived from your blood creatinine, your age, race, gender and other factors. The GFR determines the stage of kidney function, of which there are five.
Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease
GFR
Kidney Function
Stage 1
Kidney damage with normal kidney function
> 90 mL/ min
Stage 2
Kidney damage with mild loss of kidney function
60 – 89 mL/ min
Stage 3a
Mild to moderate loss of kidney function
45 – 59 mL/ min
Stage 3b
Moderate to severe loss of kidney function
30 – 44 mL/ min
Stage 4
Severe loss of kidney function
15 – 29 mL/ min
Stage 5
Kidney failure
< 15 mL/ min
