February is well known for its calendar holiday: Valentine's Day. We take this month as an opportunity to celebrate the ones we love. This celebration usually includes sweets, cookies and a whole lot of chocolate! Fun fact: dark chocolate (70–85% cocoa) in small amounts can be very beneficial as it's loaded with antioxidants. These include polyphenols, flavanols and catechins, among others, and various amounts of vitamins and minerals and low amounts of sugar. It's great as a treat, but for most of us, it's not something we should eat every day! Unfortunately, most of the sugary sweets and milk chocolate that we consume on Valentine's Day can directly affect our kidneys and heart health because they are full of processed sugar and empty carbohydrates. Fortunately, if you’re doing anything to lower your risk of heart disease, you’ll also be helping your kidneys stay healthy too! Smoking, obesity, having diabetes or high blood pressure are all risk factors for a fatal heart attack or stroke. Taking control of these factors can prevent heart damage and kidney damage. Everyone wants to protect the ones they love and that starts with protecting yourself! Make sure to speak to your endocrinologist, cardiologist, primary care physician or nephrologist on ways to protect your kidneys and heart from disease. And as for chocolate, make sure your treat says, 70% cocoa or higher, otherwise, it's not dark chocolate! Stay Safe. Be Well. Cleveland Kidney & Hypertension Consultants 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. Humanity faced a common enemy: the Corona virus and the illness it brought with it, COVID19. We adapted to a new normal, of social distancing, extra hand washing, sanitizing and sneeze-guards everywhere. Many of us got creative with our newest fashion accessory: the ubiquitous facemask! As a community we were called upon to join together to protect each other from this virus. We answered that call at CKHC by putting in protocols to protect our patients, physicians and staff. We will continue to protect each other as this fight isn't over. Staying vigilant is required for stopping the spread, even as the vaccines are being rolled out. That means continuing what you’ve been doing to protect yourself and our community! You many have questions about the vaccine:
Generally speaking, we at CKHC support the CDC's recommendation that all people that can receive the vaccine, should receive the vaccine. But this is a general statement not meant for you specifically. Every individual patient has their own health profile that must be taken into consideration by your primary doctor before giving the final answer. We will not be administering the vaccine at CKHC, as we do not have the storage required to house it. All your questions should be directed to your primary care physician. In the coming months local drugstores and hospitals could be a valuable resource for finding a place to receive your vaccine, so please check out those places. As the vaccines are rolled out across the country, and indeed the world, we can all start to feel a sense of relief. Hope is on the horizon. We just have to continue to love, value and respect our communities, family and friends while we venture into 2021. Be well. Stay safe. Your CKHC Family As the flu season approaches in the United States, health experts are warning that the addition of another respiratory illness on top of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could overburden the health care system, strain testing capacity, and increase the risk of catching both diseases at once. The flu is a yearly virus that usually peaks from December to February where it is estimated that 40 million to 50 million Americans may contract the virus.
Unlike COVID-19, however, the flu is a familiar foe, and a safe and effective vaccine is available every year. And the time to get a vaccination is early in the flu season. “It is best to have your flu shot in late September or early October in order to ensure that you have time – usually two weeks – to develop an immune response before there is widespread transmission of the flu,” said Josh Adler, MD, chief clinical officer of UCSF Health. “A flu vaccine in this time frame generally provides protection throughout the entire flu season.” Please note that the flu shot will not protect you against the Coronavirus. However, it will decrease the number of hospitalizations while the Coronavirus and flu season are going on at the same time. An estimation of 800,000 flu cases may require hospitalizations. With the overwhelming Coronavirus cases that are admitted to hospitals everyday, getting the flu vaccine is now, more than ever, critical to get during these difficult times. The ability to cut hospitalizations down is now a top priority during the Coronavirus. So please do your part to prevent the spread of not only the Coronavirus, but the flu as well. Continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance, and talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about getting the flu vaccine this season. On Wednesday August 26th, we hosted a surprise Zoom party for Jan to celebrate her 25 years with the company. We appreciate her loyalty and we are lucky to have her as a valued member of our team behind the scenes. Below is a photo of most of the staff during our Zoom party to celebrate her 25 years of loyalty.
This is an unusual Blog. It is a tribute to Dr. Lautman’s mother, Bertha Berkowitz Lautman, of blessed memory. She was a survivor of the Holocaust and one of the 999 young women that were part of the first official transport to Auchwitz.
In her honor, we would like to recommend a book that was recently published on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The book is called The 999, by Heather Dune Macadam and it shares the experiences of one of the survivors. There is also a documentary of the same name. Warning: The depictions in the book and images in the documentary are disturbing. Please read/watch at your discretion. However, keep in mind that this is a true story. At this time in our own country’s history we need to end hate. https://www.999thebook.com When the Corona outbreak started, there was a lot that we did not know about it. But over the last few months we learned what symptoms are related to it, how long it lives on certain surfaces, how it spreads, and we even developed a test to diagnose those with early symptoms.
Many people do not need to be hospitalized. They may have a fever, a cough, an upset stomach, and generally not feel good for a time. The most common symptoms of a severe case that requires hospitalization are difficulty breathing and respiratory distress. In the most severe cases, the kidneys are affected as well, even in people who had completely healthy kidneys before they contracted the virus. Why does the virus have this kind of effect on the kidneys? One theory is that low levels of oxygen can lead the kidneys to malfunction. Another theory is that the virus causes blood clots. Since our kidneys filter toxins, extra water, and waste from our blood, blood clots can greatly impair the function. Even with this new information coming to light, there is hope for a recovery. There were some patients at John’s Hopkins that did not require dialysis at were able to recover with full kidney function. There are still some ICU patients who did require dialysis but did in fact regain full kidney function as well. However, if kidney damage becomes more common among those who are recovering from the virus, it could lead to a problem we had a few months ago where ventilators were in short supply. Instead it could be dialysis machines. Together we can avoid shortages of medical equipment and supplies by stemming the spread of the virus to begin with. Please continue to wash and sanitize your hands, social distance, wear masks, go to your regular doctor’s appointments, make healthy choices, and take care of yourselves and your families. Wishing you the best of health. Stay safe. Nearly two-thirds of people over the age of 60 have high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, it’s a good idea to take extra precautions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Early research from Italy has shown that people with high blood pressure are more likely are at greater risk than those that don’t.
What’s the link? A weaker immune system is one reason people with high blood pressure and other health problems are at higher risk for coronavirus. Long-term health conditions and aging weaken your immune system so it’s less able to fight off the virus. Until more research comes out, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend that you keep taking your blood pressure medicine as prescribed so that you do not raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. Other things that you can do, and everyone even without hypertension can do, to prepare for COVID-19:
Did you know kidney disease can weaken your body's ability to fight off influenza ("the flu")? Here at Cleveland Kidney & Hypertension Consultants we value your health. Even in a healthy individual the flu virus can cause various complications - even send you to the hospital! It is imperative that patients who suffer from kidney disease keep themselves protected against influenza. We want to see all of our patients at their best. Be proactive and stay protected this flu season, get the flu shot wherever it is cheapest for you. Some options are your local pharmacy, your local big box score, or your primary care's office. It's not too late. Flu shots are recommended by the American Medical Association all the way through the end of March, but the sooner the better!
Disclaimer: This blog should not be used as medical advice. Always consult your doctor before following the ideas presented here. What is dialysis?
We need to eat, drink and breath to live. But we also need to get rid of waste that comes from eating and drinking. If waste stays in your body it will cause you to get sick , have low energy, shortness of breath, and, if not fixed, will G-d forbid, cause death. Your kidneys filter out waste from your body. Most people are born with two kidneys and could live healthily even with just one of them working. However, if both of them decline, you will need help filtering out the waste. Dialysis is the wonderful treatment that can do the work of your kidneys, helping you stay healthy and active. For those folks who get severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) dialysis is a life saver! What are my dialysis options? Your physician here at CKHC will help guide you in advance to prepare for dialysis. The three most common dialysis options include hemodialysis at a dialysis center, hemodialysis at home, and peritoneal dialysis at home. Your physician will advise you on which is the best treatment option for you, taking into account many factors such as age, lifestyle, severity of your diagnosis and your willingness to commit to a treatment program.
Each treatment option should be discussed carefully with you doctor in order to help you come to the most informed decision possible on which treatment will work best for you. Many people enjoy happy, active lives with a new lease on life once they start dialysis. We’re here to help. Ask for more information on preparing for dialysis at your next visit if you have CKD stage 4 or 5. Disclaimer: This blog should not be used as medical advice. Always consult your doctor before following the ideas presented here. People are talking about a new attitude in health care, called "Patient Engagement." That's a fancy way to describe what we've been doing for years! We have always treated our patients like partners. We speak plainly and clearly about your condition and your options. The choices are always up to you, the patient, and we help you navigate through medical jargon. Our patients can easily stay in touch through our portal. Send us your question on line, and review your health information. There's another way we have lead in Patient Engagement. We have always shared our findings with your main doctor and any specialists you see. Also, we do our best to research the tests you've had so you don't go twice for the same test unnecessarily. We use high technology like 24-hour BP monitors when necessary. It is our greatest hope to keep you from needing to go to the hospital. Patients and the providers of our practice - a warm partnership. Always. We look forward to seeing you at your next visit! |
AuthorCleveland Kidney & Hypertension Consultants Inc. provides distinguished, superior medical care. We specialize in kidneys, hypertension, CKD, ESRD and dialysis. We collaborate closely with the best doctors in Cleveland, for a comprehensive approach to your total well being. This blog is general information and not meant for any individual's health directive. Consult with us for specific and best advice. Archives
December 2021
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