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Our Nation is Facing a Kidney Disease Epidemic

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kim Hernandez
(650) 404-3623

August 12, 2008—Mountain View, CA—Satellite Healthcare, one of the nation’s first and largest providers of kidney dialysis services, is alarmed about the growing ranks of obese children in America. Why? Because obesity leads to high blood pressure and diabetes, two of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Satellite is concerned that these children will join the 26 million Americans with CKD and the estimated 20 million who are at risk for developing the disease, stretching our healthcare system to its limits.

“Satellite Healthcare has always been focused on providing our patients with compassionate care and the knowledge required to manage kidney disease,” said Mark Burke, CEO. “Patient’s properly educated can take more charge of their disease and live more productive lives. We also recognize that, we have a responsibility to increase awareness and educate the general public about Kidney disease. That’s why we are reaching out during Kidney Disease Awareness and Education Week, to encourage the media to focus on this extremely important issue.”

High blood pressure is a leading cause of CKD in adults and contributes to the worsening of CKD in children. Hypertension can also be a complication of kidney disease. If a child’s kidneys are damaged, they are less able to help regulate blood pressure. As a result, the child’s blood pressure increases and CKD gets worse.

Early screening and treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes can significantly decrease the risk of developing CKD. Left undiagnosed and untreated, CKD progresses to end stage renal disease (ESRD). At this stage, dialysis is required to clean waste products from the blood. Only a few suitable kidneys are available for transplantation, and only 28 percent of patients with ESRD will receive a donated kidney.

National Kidney Foundation Chronic Kidney Disease Facts: www.kidney.org

• 26 million Americans have CKD and another 20 million more are at increased risk.
• Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• High-risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and a family history of kidney disease.
• African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and seniors are at increased risk.
• Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.
• Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD.
• Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension.
• Three simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinine.
• Right now 78,244 kidney patients nationwide are waiting for kidney transplants. There is a critical shortage of organ donors. Only half of those waiting for a life-saving transplant will receive one.
• Twenty percent of all Americans suffering from chronic renal failure might have prevented it had they followed recommendations for treatment of high blood pressure.
• African-Americans between the ages of 30 and 49 develop kidney failure related to high blood pressure eight times more often than Caucasians.
• As in adults, high blood pressure is more common in children who:
  o Are overweight
  • Are African American
  • Have a family history of high blood pressure
  • Have CKD

Kidney Disease Prevention for Children:

• Educate children on making healthy choices early in life and the consequences of poor choices later on in life.
• Help them maintain a healthy body weight by encouraging a balanced nutritional diet of whole foods (lean protein, whole grains, legumes and fruits and vegetables) and limiting the amount of processed, salty and fast foods. Being overweight makes the child more likely to develop other serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease and can make existing high blood pressure worse.
• Make sure that kids get away from the computer and off the couch for plenty of regular moderate exercise appropriate for their age and health. Physical activity helps children to lose weight and lowers blood pressure.
• Take children to the doctor for regular check-ups to monitor weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, hemoglobin and other conditions that may indicate the development of kidney disease.
• Children should avoid substances that can raise blood pressure such as tobacco, caffeine and medications that caution against use if you have high blood pressure.

About Satellite Healthcare

Satellite Healthcare, Inc. is one of the nation’s first and largest providers of dialysis services. With its affiliated services Satellite WellBound, Satellite Dialysis, Satellite Research and Laboratory Services, Satellite Healthcare gives patients professional, compassionate care, empowering them with wellness education, treatment options and the latest medical technology to help them live as normally as possible. This comprehensive offering allows Satellite Healthcare to advance the standard of chronic kidney disease care so patients can achieve a higher quality of life.
Building on its nonprofit roots, Satellite Healthcare invests in kidney disease research, both within the company and at major universities and medical centers around the world. Satellite also develops proprietary software tools to provide its dialysis centers Web-based patient management and reporting capabilities.

www.satellitehealth.com