National Kidney Month: Nephrology Care in Oklahoma

March is National Kidney Month, and it's an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of kidney health and the impact of kidney disease on individuals and communities. According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), kidney disease affects an estimated 37 million people, or 1 in 7 adults, in the United States and is the ninth leading cause of death. Norman Regional Health System is committed to providing excellent nephrology services to patients in the Oklahoma City and Norman areas.

Nephrology is a branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis, care, and treatment of kidney diseases. At Norman Regional Nephrology Associates, our team of expert nephrologists provide comprehensive care to patients with kidney disease, from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, hypertension, kidney stones, and more. They also offer dialysis management, electrolyte disorder treatment, and medication management.

Our team of nephrologists, Dr. Kendral Knight, Dr. Cuong Nguyen, Dr. Dustin Tedesco, and Dr. David Williams, work both in the hospital and in an outpatient clinic setting, providing specialized consultative, diagnostic, and treatment services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They also make rounds on current patients as needed in all areas, including but not limited to, the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Rehabilitation, Medical-Surgical, Critical Care, and Dialysis units.

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If you suspect that you may have kidney disease or have risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, talk to your doctor about getting tested. According to the NKF, nearly 1 in 3 people with diabetes and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure have kidney disease. Heart disease and a family history of kidney failure are among the additional factors that increase the risk of developing kidney disease.

According to America’s Health Rankings United Health Foundation’s website, Oklahoma reported 3.2% of adults reported ever being told by a health professional that they have kidney disease with the national average sitting at 3.0%.

Checking for kidney disease will be done by your doctor: a urine test to check for kidney damage and a blood test to check how well your kidneys are removing wastes from your blood. If your kidneys show signs of damage, your doctor may refer you to a kidney specialist, called a nephrologist, or recommend annual or more frequent testing.

Kidney disease is often referred to as a "silent disease" because there are usually no symptoms during its early stages. In fact, as many as 90% of Americans who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) don't know they have the disease until it’s very advanced. That's why it's essential to know your risk factors, get tested regularly, and follow your kidney health with a treatment or monitoring plan that fits your lifestyle, mobility, health status, and dietary needs.

At Norman Regional, we’re committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients with kidney disease. Our team of expert nephrologists and support staff are here to help you manage your kidney disease, reduce your risk factors, and live a healthy, active life. Contact us today to learn more about our nephrology services and how we can help you.

Norman Regional Nephrology Associates is located at 1553 N. Porter Ave., for information and appointments, Drs. Knight, Nguyen, Tedesco and Williams are all board certified and look forward to continuing to serve patients. A physician referral is required for new patients to see a physician at Nephrology Associates.