DENVER, March 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, today released a series of educational resources to help raise awareness about treatment options for end stage renal disease (ESRD) in honor of National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day, which is March 14.
This year's World Kidney Day theme is, "Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere." The theme is in line with DaVita's goal to enable patients to choose treatment options that fit their lifestyles so they can spend more time doing what they love.
"Ensuring patient modality choice is a core commitment at DaVita, and we believe modality education is key to empowering patients to make decisions that positively impact their quality of life," said Allen R. Nissenson, M.D., FACP, chief medical officer for DaVita Kidney Care.
Kidneys are the body's filtration system, removing waste and extra fluid while balancing chemicals that are necessary to kidney function. Individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) gradually lose the ability to effectively remove waste from the body. When CKD progresses to end stage renal disease, dialysis or a kidney transplant is vital for survival. According to the latest U.S. Renal Data System Annual Data Report, more than 660,000 Americans are being treated for ESRD. Of these, 468,000 are dialysis patients.
DaVita develops kidney disease educational resources to help support those with or caring for someone with kidney disease and encourages them to explore the variety of modality options available and to work with their kidney care teams to align on the treatment that best fits their or their loved one's unique needs. Modality options include:
Kidney Transplant: A kidney transplant is often the best option for many patients with ESRD. Transplant centers evaluate and decide which patients are eligible for a kidney transplant. Once a patient has been accepted and receives a kidney from a living or deceased donor, he or she undergoes surgery to place the healthy kidney in his or her body. The new kidney is then able to perform the function of cleaning toxins from the blood, so dialysis isn't necessary. This treatment option does a better job of filtering waste than dialysis and allows patients greater flexibility to manage their kidney disease.
In-Center Hemodialysis: In-center hemodialysis is done in a dialysis center three times a week for up to four hours per treatment. A machine filters toxins from the blood, mimicking normal kidney function. This type of dialysis offers patients direct, in-person care from their care team and the ability to interact with other dialysis patients.
Peritoneal Dialysis: Peritoneal dialysis, also known as PD, is a needle-free treatment done at home that uses the lining of the abdomen to filter waste from the blood. This form of dialysis is most similar to natural kidney function and can offer patients more control and flexibility over their schedule.
Home Hemodialysis: Home hemodialysis works just like in-center hemodialysis by using a machine to clean toxins from the blood; however, the dialysis treatments are administered at the patient's home with different timing increments. The machine is smaller and more user-friendly than those used in-center.
Nocturnal Dialysis: In-center nocturnal dialysis allows patients to dialyze in a dialysis center overnight, while they sleep. This treatment gives patients more flexibility in their daytime schedule and can provide better blood pressure control.
To access the educational resources, and for more information about the various types of modalities and treatment options, visit DaVita.com/Treatments.
About DaVita Kidney Care DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, that through its operating divisions provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of dialysis services in the United States, DaVita Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of December 31, 2018, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,664 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 203,000 patients. The company also operated 241 outpatient dialysis centers located in 9 countries outside the United States. DaVita Kidney Care supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.
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