February is Black History Month, a time of celebration and to give tribute to African American men and women who have made significant contributions to America. It’s also a time to remind the African American community about the importance of good kidney health.
Did you know…
37 Million American Adults Now Estimated to Have Chronic Kidney Disease and many of them are not even aware of it.
Due to high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, Blacks and African Americans have an increased risk of developing kidney failure. Blacks and African Americans need to be aware of these risk factors and visit their doctor or clinic regularly to check their blood sugar, blood pressure, urine protein and kidney function.
- Blacks and African Americans suffer from kidney failure at a significantly higher rate than Caucasians – more than 3 times higher.
- African Americans constitute more than 35% of all patients in the U.S. receiving dialysis for kidney failure, but only represent 13.2% of the overall U.S. population.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in African Americans. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as Caucasians. Approximately 4.9 million African Americans over 20 years of age are living with either diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.
- The most common type of diabetes in African Americans is type 2 diabetes. African Americans with diabetes are more likely to develop complications of diabetes and to have greater disability from these complications than Caucasians. African Americans are also more likely to develop serious complications such as heart disease and strokes.
- High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure among African Americans, and remains the leading cause of death due to its link with heart attacks and strokes.
