Patient Education

Nephrology Associates Of North Central Florida would like to be your partner in health care. Feel free to ask your questions and share your concerns with us. We will work with you to develop a wellness program for the care and treatment you need.

We welcome you to our practice and look forward to caring for you.
 

Managing Diet

Living with kidney disease likely means changing some of your basic ideas about food and nutrition. To help you stay as healthy as possible, you may have to focus on what you eat and drink in a whole new way. The good news is that taking control of what you eat—and how much—can have a positive impact on your overall health and how you feel.

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Acute Renal Failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) occurs when the kidneys suddenly stop filtering waste products from the blood. This sudden loss of function can result from injury, trauma or infection, or from complications during surgery. It usually affects people who have additional health-related conditions. ...

Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) refers to the gradual loss of kidney function over a long period of time. The kidneys are responsible for eliminating waste and excess water from the body. Loss of kidney function causes a dangerous buildup of waste and fluid. Chronic kidney disease is most often associated with diabetes and high blood pressure, and requires prompt treatment to keep life-threatening complications from developing. ...

End-Stage Renal Disease

The final stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease occurs when the kidneys are functioning at less than 15 percent of their normal capabilities, and are no longer able to filter waste from the blood. The kidneys experience complete or near-complete failure, and cannot function on their own. ...

Kidney-Function Evaluation

Because kidney disease does not usually produce symptoms in its early stages, many patients who have deteriorating kidney function are unaware of it. Regular kidney-function evaluations can detect kidney problems in their earliest stages, and help slow damage.

There are several tests that are performed to detect problems with kidney function; they are especially effective in patients who are asymptomatic. In many cases, kidney disease is first discovered during a routine blood or urine test. ...

Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that causes painful, swollen, red and inflamed joints. Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid that forms crystals in the joints and surrounding tissue. Uric acid is a natural waste product of the body that is normally filtered out of the bloodstream by the kidneys and excreted during urination. Patients with gout have an abnormal metabolism that reduces the effectiveness of the kidneys, causing uric acid to accumulate in the blood. ...

Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia is a metabolic disorder in which there is an elevated concentration of potassium in the blood. Potassium is necessary for proper functioning of the nerves and muscles, including the heart muscle, but an excess of the electrolyte may be life-threatening. Normally, almost all potassium in the body is found in the cells and organs with very little circulating in the bloodstream. ...

Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia is an electrolyte imbalance in which the sodium level in the body is abnormally low. Because sodium helps to regulate the way the body retains fluid, too little sodium results in the accumulation of too much water in the cells. Cellular swelling can cause many medical problems, ranging from mild to potentially fatal. Hyponatremia is most frequently the result of drinking too much water, and is a common medical problem for marathon and triathlon athletes. ...

Polycystic Kidney Disease

Polycystic kidney disease, also known as PKD, is a genetic disorder that involves the development of cysts within and around the kidneys. A cyst is a non cancerous, fluid-filled sac that can vary in size and sometimes grow extremely large. When these cysts form, the kidneys fill with fluid and may become enlarged, resulting in decreased kidney function and in extreme cases, kidney failure. ...

Proteinuria

Proteinuria is an abnormal amount of protein in the urine. While waste products are filtered out of the blood to leave the body through the urine, protein is essential in protecting the body against infection and ensuring proper fluid circulation. When protein is found in the urine, it may be a sign of chronic kidney disease. ...

Dialysis FAQs

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is a process that substitutes for kidney function when the normal operation of the kidneys is interrupted. In a healthy body, the kidneys serve to regulate fluid levels in the body, filter waste products and control urination. Dialysis performs these functions when the kidneys fail due to disease or injury and the resultant buildup of waste products in the body threatens to cause illness. ...