Kidney Disease & Dialysis Access

Get Advanced Treatment and Care After A Kidney Disease Diagnosis

Kidney disease is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. At Vascular & Interventional Specialists, our team of medical experts is dedicated to providing the best possible care to our patients across our Dakota Dunes, Omaha, Kansas City, Chicago, and Fargo locations, and that includes educating them about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for kidney disease. Find a location and get the care you need when it matters most.

What Is Kidney Disease?

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease, is a condition that affects the kidneys’ ability to filter waste products from the blood. The kidneys are responsible for regulating the body’s fluid balance, producing hormones that help control blood pressure, and producing red blood cells. When the kidneys are damaged or not functioning correctly, waste products can build up in the blood, causing a range of symptoms and complications.

Causes of Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease develops over months and years. The most common causes are vascular and metabolic in nature, including:

• Diabetes (the leading cause of chronic kidney disease in the United States)
• High blood pressure
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries supplying the kidneys)
• Renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery to the kidney)
• Chronic glomerulonephritis (long-term kidney inflammation)
• Polycystic kidney disease

Because kidney disease shares many of the same vascular risk factors as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), patients with chronic kidney disease often have coexisting vascular conditions that need management.

Am I At Risk of Kidney Disease?

Some of the risk factors for kidney disease include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Family history of kidney disease
• Age (risk increases with age)
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Cardiovascular disease

Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Disease

Since you have two kidneys and they are very adaptive, it can be hard to spot kidney disease as symptoms will develop slowly over time. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, or face
• Foamy urine
• Blood in the urine
• Increased or decreased urination

Regular screenings with your vascular and interventional specialist can help spot signs of kidney damage early before symptoms have progressed into chronic kidney disease.

Diagnosis

If you are experiencing symptoms of kidney disease, your doctor may perform some tests to diagnose the condition. This may include blood tests to measure kidney function, urine tests to check for protein and blood in the urine, imaging tests, such as ultrasound or CT scans, to evaluate the kidneys’ structure, or a kidney biopsy, which involves taking a small sample of kidney tissue for analysis.

Complications

Untreated chronic kidney disease can progress to kidney failure, which can be detrimental to almost every part of your body and may require dialysis or a kidney transplant. High blood pressure, anemia, bone disease, nerve damage, and increased risk of heart disease are other serious complications of this disease.

Treatment and Prevention of Kidney Disease

For specific vascular complications of kidney disease — including renal artery stenosis and dialysis access creation, maintenance, and revision — VIS provides targeted, minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures. We work alongside your nephrologist to address vascular issues that affect kidney function and dialysis treatment.

For patients who progress to end-stage renal disease, our team also provides dialysis access creation and maintenance, including arteriovenous fistula and graft procedures, declotting, and stenting to keep access functioning.

Preventing kidney disease involves making healthy lifestyle choices, such as:

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Exercising regularly
• Eating a balanced diet low in sodium and sugar
• Managing underlying health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure
• Not smoking

Frequently Asked Questions About Kidney Disease

What is kidney disease?

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease, is a condition that affects the kidneys’ ability to filter waste products from the blood. The kidneys regulate the body’s fluid balance, produce hormones that help control blood pressure, and produce red blood cells. When the kidneys are damaged or not functioning correctly, waste products can build up in the blood, causing a range of symptoms and complications.

What causes chronic kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease develops over months and years. The most common causes are vascular and metabolic, including diabetes (the leading cause in the United States), high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries supplying the kidneys), renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery to the kidney), chronic glomerulonephritis, and polycystic kidney disease.

What are the warning signs of kidney disease?

Common symptoms include fatigue, swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, or face, foamy urine, blood in the urine, and increased or decreased urination. Because kidneys are very adaptive, symptoms develop slowly, so regular screenings with your vascular and interventional specialist help spot signs of kidney damage early.

Am I at risk for kidney disease?

Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, family history of kidney disease, age, obesity, smoking, and cardiovascular disease.

How does VIS treat kidney disease?

For specific vascular complications of kidney disease — including renal artery stenosis and dialysis access creation, maintenance, and revision — VIS provides targeted, minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures. We work alongside your nephrologist to address vascular issues that affect kidney function and dialysis treatment. For patients who progress to end-stage renal disease, our team also provides dialysis access creation and maintenance, including arteriovenous fistula and graft procedures, declotting, and stenting to keep access functioning.

Can kidney disease be prevented?

Prevention involves making healthy lifestyle choices, including maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet low in sodium and sugar, managing underlying conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, and not smoking.

Please Call Your Vascular Specialist To Schedule an Appointment

At Vascular & Interventional Specialists, we understand the importance of early detection and treatment for kidney disease. If you are experiencing symptoms or have risk factors for kidney disease, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced physicians. We are here to help you stay healthy and live your best life.

Schedule a consultation today.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following:

• Sudden severe flank or back pain (could indicate kidney stone obstruction or vascular emergency)
• Sharp drop in urine output, blood in urine, or fluid retention with confusion (signs of acute kidney injury)
• Fever, chills, or pain over a dialysis access site (possible access infection)
• Sudden swelling, redness, or hardness around an AV fistula or graft (possible thrombosis or aneurysm)
• Severe leg swelling with shortness of breath (possible fluid overload)

If you cannot reach VIS or your nephrologist immediately, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.