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Everything You Should Know About Stage 2 Kidney Disease
Stage 2 kidney disease is mainly asymptomatic and may be difficult to diagnose. Some physical symptoms include changes in urine color and dry or itchy skin. Lifestyle changes can help prevent progression past stage 2.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a type of long-term damage to the kidneys. It's characterized by permanent damage that progresses through five stages.
A diagnosis of stage 2 CKD means you have minor damage.
The goal of treatment for CKD is to stop the progression to a later stage. While you can't reverse the damage at any stage, you still have an opportunity to stop stage 2 CKD from progressing to stage 5.
A high creatinine level means your kidneys aren't functioning optimally. With stage 2, your eGFR reading will fall between 60 and 89.
eGFR readings at stage 2 are still considered within an expected kidney function range, so it can be difficult to diagnose CKD in this stage.
A doctor may also perform imaging tests, such as a renal ultrasound, for a better look at your kidneys and to assess the extent of any damage.
CKD isn't typically diagnosed at stage 1 because there's little damage and few symptoms. Stage 1 can transition to stage 2 when kidney function decreases or possible physical damage occurs.
Factors that decrease kidney function, such as high blood pressure or diabetes without proper management, may result in kidney damage over time, or CKD.
When these organs don't work properly, they can't remove waste from the blood and produce the right urinary output.
The most common causes of CKD include:
The longer your kidneys are left without proper management, the more damage they could endure.
You should see your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above.
But since mild CKD doesn't have as many noticeable symptoms as advanced stages, you may not realize you have stage 2 CKD until your annual physical.
A doctor will likely monitor your kidney health carefully if you have any risk factors or a family history of kidney disease.
You can't reverse kidney damage once it occurs. You can, however,prevent further progression. This involves combining lifestyle changes and medications to help treat the underlying causes.
Regular blood work — including eGFR, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and electrolyte screenings — should be monitored closely in individuals with CKD to help prevent progression.
Close monitoring can indicate whether your treatment plan is improving overall kidney function.
Stage 2 chronic kidney disease diet
A doctor may also recommend cutting down on both animal and plant proteins if you eat an excessive amount. Too much protein is hard on the kidneys.
At stage 2, you may not need to follow some of the restrictions recommended for more advanced CKD, such as avoiding potassium.
Medications for stage 2 chronic kidney disease
The goal of medications for stage 2 CKD is to treat the underlying conditions that contribute to kidney damage.
A medication side effect or a blockage may occasionally cause acute kidney injury. Once your doctor identifies the cause, kidney function may improve with treatment.
No cure is available for CKD that has resulted in permanent damage, including mild cases diagnosed as stage 2.
You can, however, take action to avoid progression. It's possible to have stage 2 CKD and prevent it from progressing to stage 3.
Stage 2 CKD is a mild form of CKD, and you may not notice any symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose.
You'll want to ensure you undergo regular blood and urine tests if you have any underlying conditions or a family history that increases your risk of CKD.
Once you receive a diagnosis of CKD, stopping the progression of kidney damage is dependent on lifestyle changes. Talk with your doctor about how to get started.
What People Living With COPD Or Emphysema Need To Know About Available Treatments
StatePoint
More than 11 million people in the United States are living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including more than 3 million people with emphysema, a type of COPD. This chronic lung disease limits air flow and causes breathing-related symptoms. While there is no cure, an innovative treatment option is helping some patients with severe COPD or emphysema breathe easier.
Endobronchial Valve Therapy (EBV) is a minimally invasive treatment option that aims to improve lung function, activity level and your quality of life.
"I noticed the first day after receiving EBV that I was able to take a very deep breath. Before my treatment, my breathing was very shallow," says Karrie E., who is now able to walk longer distances before taking rests, as well as go to the grocery store to do her own shopping.
Carolyn P., who also received EBV therapy after living with COPD for years agrees, "I had the valves put in and it changed the quality of my life. I can walk without feeling like my chest is going to burst." Carolyn is now a regular walker at the malls in her hometown.
So, what are EBVs? According to the American Lung Association, which has partnered with Zephyr by Pulmonx to create awareness for managing advanced COPD with EBV, these one-way valves reduce lung hyperinflation by allowing trapped air to escape. As a result, lung function may improve when healthier areas of the lung provide the necessary oxygen exchange. They may help with feeling less short of breath and being more active. This safe, effective treatment option for eligible patients is backed by research-based evidence, and currently, there are two FDA-approved types of valves.
If you have been diagnosed with advanced COPD or emphysema and do not smoke or are willing to quit, EBV treatment might be the right option for you. This relatively quick, non-surgical procedure takes place in a hospital, and has a short recovery time, generally requiring about a three-day hospital stay.
Those who have found success with the procedure — less shortness of breath and a greater quality of life — encourage others not to delay treatment: "If it's right for you, don't wait to have it done," says Bryan C.
The American Lung Association encourages you to speak with your healthcare provider about this treatment option. You can learn more and take an online questionnaire to determine if you qualify for this procedure by visiting Lung.Org/ebv.
If you are one of the millions of Americans living with COPD, you can breathe easier knowing that advances in treatments are helping people with your condition live a better quality of life.
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Mild To Moderate COPD With Vs Without Emphysema Is Linked To Worse HRQOL
Patients with mild to moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with vs without emphysema experienced worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and higher rates of acute respiratory exacerbations; however, they did not experience accelerated rates of lung function decline, according to study findings published in Chest.
Researchers conducted a post hoc analysis of a multicenter, prospective, observational study (Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study [SPIROMICS]; ClinicalTrials.Gov Identifier: NCT0196934) to characterize the clinical and prognostic characteristics of mild-to-moderate COPD with and without emphysema.
Participants aged between 40 and 80 with a history of tobacco exposure of at least 20 pack-years, as well as participants without any history of smoking or lung disease (control group) were categorized into 2 groups based on their emphysema status.
At baseline and during an annual visit through year 3, participants underwent a physical examination, completed a respiratory symptoms questionnaire, and performed 6-minute walk distance tests and spirometry. Data pertaining to tobacco use, respiratory exacerbations, oral corticosteroid and antibiotic use, and hospitalization and emergency department visits were also collected via structured questionnaire every 3 months. At baseline and year 1, high-resolution chest computed tomography (CT) scans were performed.
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Mild-to-moderate COPD with emphysema did not experience accelerated lung function decline, but they have worse health-related quality of life and a higher rate of acute respiratory exacerbations compared to those without emphysema.
The primary outcome was annual decline of lung function. To assess the between-group differences in the decline of lung function, HRQOL, and quantitative CT indices, linear mixed-effects models were used.
A total of 989 individuals were included in the post hoc analysis, of whom 428 (43.3%; mean age, 66.7; men, 63.1%; White, 84.6%) comprised the emphysema cohort and 561 (56.7%; mean age, 56.7; men, 54.7%; White, 82.9%) comprised the non-emphysema cohort.
The emphysema vs non-emphysema cohort was less likely to have sleep apnea and more frequently used inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids within 3 months of enrollment. Airway wall thickness and mean airway to lung ratio were elevated in the non-emphysema vs emphysema cohort at baseline.
The annual decline in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) in the emphysema and non-emphysema cohorts was -56.1 mL per year and -46.9 mL per year, respectively (between-group difference, -9.1 mL/year; 95% CI, -24.0 to 5.7 mL/year; P =.391).
The rate of emphysema progression was significantly lower in the emphysema vs non-emphysema cohort (between-group difference, -0.173; 95% CI, -0.252 to -0.094; P =.001).
The between-group difference in the rate of change in the St George Respiratory Questionnaire score was significant (difference in rate of decline, 0.9 point; 95% CI, 0.2-1.6 points; P =.010).
Participants in the emphysema vs non-emphysema cohort experienced a significantly higher rate of acute respiratory exacerbations (0.36 vs 0.25 per person-year, respectively; rate ratio, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.27-1.54; P =.001).
Study limitations include potential recall, selection, and information biases; infrequency of CT scans; exclusion of younger participants; and risk for false positives.
"Mild-to-moderate COPD with emphysema did not experience accelerated lung function decline, but they have worse health-related quality of life and a higher rate of acute respiratory exacerbations compared to those without emphysema," the researchers concluded.
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