Revised: November 20, 2013
Accepted: January 13, 2014
Published online: February 6, 2014
Processing time: 286 Days and 5.1 Hours
This study is an excerpt of broad-based office practice which is designed to treat patients with diabetes and hypertension, the two most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as CKD of unknown etiology. This model of office practice is dedicated to evaluating patients with CKD for their complete well-being; blood pressure control, fluid control and maintenance of acid-base status and hemoglobin. Frequent office visits, every four to six weeks, confer a healthy life style year after year associated with a feeling of good well-being and a positive outlook. Having gained that, such patients remain compliant to their medication and diet, and scheduled laboratory and office visits which are determinant of a dialysis-free life.
Core tip: Diabetes and hypertension are two most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nephrology office practice constitutes vast majority of the patients with CKD of different stages. While CKD stages 1-3 [glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (< 60 - > 30 mL/min)] produce slight or no symptoms or signs, CKD stages 4-6 (GFR < 30 - < 10 mL/min) may increase blood pressure and produce fluid electrolyte and acid-based disorders. The goal of office practice is to identify these disorders, then treat them to enable patients to live asymptomatically.