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KidneyScreen At-Home(R)
- KidneyScreen At-Home(R) provides
early warning by measuring the microalbumin level in
your urine.
- A Mail In Laboratory Test That
Detects Early Signs of Kidney Disease.
- The American Diabetes Association
(ADA) and American Kidney Foundation (AKF) recommend
every individual with diabetes be tested for
microalbuminuria annually.
- Kidney disease is one of the most
devastating complications of diabetes and it is
preventable.
- A morning urine sample is all it
takes.
- Easy to fill out form.
- Mail it back to FlexSite in
pre-addressed envelope included.
- Call for your results or get them
mailed back.
- American Diabetes Association (ADA)
says 20%-30% of individuals with diabetes develop kidney
disease.
- Licensed clinical laboratory results.
- FDA cleared for consumer use.
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Preventing Kidney Disease:
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA),
20%-30% of individuals with diabetes develop kidney disease. This is in spite
of the fact that it’s one of the most preventable of all the devastating
complications of diabetes. The key is early detection.
If it’s detected in the earliest stages, kidney dysfunction can be stopped or
reversed with treatment. The best way to assure early detection is by doing a
urine test that measures the levels of a protein called microalbumin.
Why Diabetes Damages Kidneys
When our bodies digest the protein we eat, the process creates waste products
that build up in the blood. In the kidneys, millions of tiny blood vessels
(capillaries) with even tinier holes in them act as filters. As blood flows
through the blood vessels, small molecules such as waste products squeeze
through the holes and become part of the urine. Useful substances, such as
protein and red blood cells, are too big to pass through the holes in the
filter so they stay in the blood.
However, when blood sugar levels get too high, it can cause
damage to the filters. This puts extra strain on the kidneys and after many
years, they start to leak useful protein into the urine. Having small amounts
of protein in the urine is called microalbuminuria. Having larger amounts is
called proteinuria or macroalbuminuria.
Over the course of time, some of the filters in the kidneys may collapse if
the strain continues to be too great. As the capillaries lose their filtering
ability, waste products start to build up in the blood. Finally, the kidneys
fail. This failure is called end-stage renal
disease (ESRD). ESRD is very serious. A person with ESRD needs either to have
a kidney transplant or to have the blood filtered by machine (dialysis).
Microalbumin Testing
Early detection is the key to preventing kidney disease. There are no symptoms
in the earliest stages, so it’s vital to test for microalbuminuria on a
regular basis. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Kidney
Foundation (AKF)
recommend that everyone with diabetes be tested for microalbuminuria annually.
However, studies have shown that only one out of every 10
patients with diabetes has a microalbumin test done annually. This is due to a
number of reasons including a lack of awareness about the importance of the
test and the inconvenience of the traditional 24-hour urine collection
required by traditional laboratories.
Clearly, if you have diabetes, it’s worth having a yearly
microalbumin test in order lower your risk of developing kidney disease. For
more information on diabetes and kidney disease contact the National Institute
of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases.
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