Managing associated kidney health concerns

Anemia is a common problem for people with chronic kidney disease, especially in the later stages (Stages 4 and 5). Anemia happens when you don't have enough red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Hemoglobin is a part of red blood cells that helps carry oxygen. Doctors check hemoglobin levels to see how bad the anemia is.

Treatments for anemia depend on what's causing it. They might include eating different foods, taking vitamins or minerals, special medicines like synthetic erythropoietin (EPO), or, in advanced cases, getting a blood transfusion.

The kidneys help remove waste, control fluids, and keep bones strong. But when the kidneys don’t work well, it can lead to mineral and bone disorder. This happens when important minerals, like calcium and phosphorus, get out of balance.

Patients with weak bones are more likely to fall and get hurt. To lower this risk, kidney patients should follow their diet plans, move and exercise, take their medicines as told by their doctor, and make their homes safer. This includes moving things you might trip over and making sure there is enough light. Wearing glasses if needed can help too. It’s also important to tell your health-care team if you feel dizzy, faint, or have fallen at home.

• Fall Prevention for IH Renal Services (Patient brochure) – Interior Health
• What To Do After A Fall - Public Health Agency of Canada
• Staying Independent Checklist Interactive – BC Gov   

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as managing your physical health, especially if you have chronic kidney disease. People with kidney disease often deal with mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, stress, anger, and grief. The emotional strain of living with a long-term illness can affect your overall well-being.

Managing diabetes well is very important for staying healthy. Keeping blood sugar at a healthy level can help prevent problems like heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and vision loss. It also protects organs like the kidneys and liver from damage. Good diabetes care can give you more energy, improve your mood, and help your body heal faster. This helps you feel better and live a healthier life. In short, taking care of your diabetes helps protect your body and prevent serious health problems.

• Diabetes Practice Resources - IH
• Diabetes Care - British Columbia Gov
• Diabetes - Health Link BC

The heart and kidneys are closely connected and work together to keep the body healthy. The heart pumps blood to the kidneys, giving them oxygen and nutrients. The kidneys clean waste and extra fluid from the blood, which helps control blood pressure.

If the heart isn’t working well, it can cause less blood to reach the kidneys, which can hurt them. If the kidneys aren’t working well, they may not remove enough fluid, making blood pressure go up. This makes the heart work harder and can cause heart problems. Taking care of the heart is taking care of the kidneys.

For general information on heart health see:

• Heart Health - IH
• Heart Health and Stroke – Health Link BC

The health of the kidneys, heart, and blood sugar levels are all connected and affect each other.

1. Kidneys and Heart: The kidneys and heart work together to control blood pressure and balance fluids. If the kidneys are damaged, they might not filter blood well, causing high blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder. Also, heart problems can reduce blood flow to the kidneys, making them worse.
2. Heart and Diabetes: Diabetes can cause heart problems because high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves that help the heart work. People with diabetes are more likely to get heart diseases which, in serious causes, can lead to heart attacks.
3. Diabetes and Kidneys: High blood sugar from diabetes can hurt the blood vessels in the kidneys over time, leading to kidney disease. This happens because the kidneys have to work harder to remove extra sugar from the blood, which can make them less effective and eventually fail.

In short, diabetes can hurt both the heart and kidneys. The health of these organs is connected through blood pressure and fluid balance. It’s important to manage diabetes, heart health, and kidney function together for overall well-being.

• What is Cardiovascular Disease? –Kidney Foundation – video
• What is Diabetes? – Kidney Foundation – video
• How are CKD, CVD, and Diabetes Related? – Kidney Foundation – video