Understanding the Heart-Kidney Connection: Practical Tips for Managing Cardiorenal Health

Ever wondered how your heart and kidneys are more connected than you think? Join us as Kimberlee, a registered Nurse and Vice President of Clinical Services with Specialty Care Management, reveals the fascinating cardiorenal connection. Discover why heart disease is the leading cause of death among Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients and how maintaining stable blood pressure and proper hydration can make a world of difference. Kimberly uses everyday analogies, like comparing your vasculature to household plumbing, to explain how cardiovascular issues can directly impact kidney function and vice versa. 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of how heart and kidney health are interconnected. Kimberly delves into the cyclical nature of cardiorenal diseases and provides practical insights on how daily self-care practices can help manage these conditions. Whether you're a healthcare professional or someone keen on improving your own health, Kimberlee’s expertise will empower you with valuable knowledge and actionable tips. Tune in to learn how to prioritize your body's intricate plumbing system and mitigate the risks associated with heart and kidney diseases.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Hi friends, it's Kimberly here, registered Nurse and Business Development Director with Specialty Care Management. Thanks so much for following along this month as we talk about the five major risk drivers for kidney disease. This week, coming in at number three, we're talking about the cardiorenal connection. Did you know that heart disease was the leading cause of death among CKD patients? Cardiorenal connection here we're talking about the connection with the heart cardio and the kidneys renal. As you know that heart disease can cause kidney disease and vice versa. Kidney disease can damage the heart as well. It becomes this vicious cycle that can occur.

Speaker 1: 0:59

If you consider, if we were to take a really simplistic approach and talk about your vasculature, the cardiac system. We talk about that in terms of plumbing A lot of times when I'm talking to folks, I'll describe this as this plumbing system. Right, the plumbing is the same in the heart and the kidneys. Right, it's the same in the liver and the brain and your big toe and the kidneys. Right, it's the same in the liver and the brain and your big toe. If I have things going on like constricted heart vessels, constricted tubes in my house, for instance, if I have something that's decreasing the diameter that water flows through in my plumbing, there's going to be impeded circulation and greater pressure correct. It's the same kind of process that's happening in the heart and the kidneys when there is impeded blood flow, whether that's because of a blockage or even with hemorrhage.

Speaker 1: 1:58

Sometimes you'll see folks who hemorrhage or have sepsis. Their end organs, including the kidneys, will start to fail. If I have things like coronary artery disease, smoking, other factors that are going to constrict that diameter of my vasculature, it's obviously going to affect the blood flow to the kidneys. If I'm dehydrated and there's not enough fluid running through in my plumbing, well it's not going to get to the kidneys as well. Oftentimes folks who are undergoing dialysis or have advanced kidney disease become very hemodynamically unstable Just a fancy word for meaning. Their blood pressures are up and down like a roller coaster. Pressures are up and down like a roller coaster. It becomes very difficult for them to manage, particularly if they're unaware of how their daily self-care impacts these factors impacts their plumbing. If you have questions and want to know more about particularly about this kind of pathophysiology that is associated with members, it's really one of our favorite things to talk about. In the meantime, make it a great day, take care of your plumbing. Bye, friends.