Introduction
Kidneys are responsible for regulating ion concentration and pH, maintaining the fluid balance, removing waste products, and producing hormones. In the case of chronic kidney disease (CKD), these functions become impaired, causing cardiovascular diseases, anemia, or hypertension (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). In this paper, the statistical data for CKD will be provided and discussed, and the ways of applying this information in nursing practice will be observed.
Main body
The statistics show the percentage of the population having CKD and the relation between demographic factors and the risk of developing this disease. It has been estimated that nearly 37 million adult US citizens have CKD, and most of them are not aware of it (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). The disease correlates with age: it occurs in 7% of people aged 18-44 years, 13% of the population aged between 45 and 64 years, 38% of those older than 65 years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019).
Furthermore, female citizens are more subject to CKD than the male population; non-Hispanic blacks have the highest risk of developing the disease among other races. The statistics also show that the major causes of CKD are diabetes and hypertension (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). Thus, aged patients suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure are at the highest risk of CKD.
Knowing the epidemiological statistics for this disorder, the master’s prepared nurse can determine patients at risk and develop a preventive treatment. Since CKD may show no explicit symptoms, it is necessary to check patients’ urine for protein and blood for creatinine (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). If the nurse is aware that patients have diabetes or hypertension, then undergoing kidney screening and preventive treatment for CKD is essential for them (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Finally, statistical data may help to define the most vulnerable segments of patients and encourage them to take the necessary tests to make sure they do not have CKD.
Conclusion
In conclusion, since CKD influences other systems of the human body and tends to worsen over time, it is important to define the risks of its development and diagnose it as soon as possible. The master’s prepared nurse can use the epidemiological statistics to address the population at the highest risk of having CKD. It will allow detecting the disease in early stages, thus reducing its harm to the patients’ health.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Vital signs: Native Americans with diabetes. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Chronic kidney disease basics. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Chronic kidney disease in the United States. Web.