In The News

March is National Kidney Month and an important time to focus on the causes and prevention of kidney disease which affects approximately 15% of the American population. Dr. David Kabithe is a board certified general surgeon with Jennie Stuart Health and will take part in a discussion about Kidney Disease and Dialysis on Kentucky Health. Kentucky Health is a program on Kentucky Educational Television (KET) and it is a health education TV show.

The kidneys are important organs that help maintain several normal bodily functions. Their purpose includes removing excess fluid and waste products from the body. When the kidneys fail, people are often required to receive dialysis to perform that function. Once a patient reaches the stage that requires dialysis, they will need to consult with a surgeon for dialysis access placement. There are several access options available to patients which they should discuss with their physician. Some of the risk factors associated with kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, being older than 60 years old and being African American.

There are precautions you can take to minimize your risks for kidney disease such as watching your blood pressure, reducing your sodium intake, making sure your diabetes is well controlled if you have it and following up with your primary care provider to make sure that you are being properly screened.

The show will first air on February 25th. Check your local TV guide or visit KET.org for air times or to view it online click below. This will be a very informative discussion.