One in nine adults in America have chronic kidney disease, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Not only is UAB on the front lines of educating and treating this disease through the Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic, but the UAB Nephrology program is also ranked one of the top 20 in the country by U.S.News & World Report. Located at The Kirklin Clinic^® in the UAB Medical Center District, the Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic helps educate patients so that they can control risk factors and minimize complications. The goal of the clinic is to keep kidney function stable so that patients can stay off dialysis.

Kidney disease is most commonly caused by diabetes, and about 50 percent of the patients seen at the clinic are diabetic. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the second leading cause. Other patients have kidney disease due to conditions including hereditary kidney diseases, autoimmune diseases such as lupus, chronic infections such as hepatitis C or HIV, repeated kidney infections, or the use of certain prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Patients at the Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic receive an individualized treatment plan from a UAB nephrologist. A nurse practitioner then follows up with each patient and helps with lifestyle modification such as controlling high blood pressure and weight, avoiding medicines that can damage kidneys, reducing salt in the diet and ensuring that medications are taken properly. Dietitians are available for dietary intervention and education.

For more information about the Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic, please call UAB HealthFinder at (205) 934-9999 or 1-800-UAB-8816. To learn more about kidney disease, go to uabhealth.org/nephrology.