Health Disparities in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common and increasing in patients on Medicare. In 2018, 25% of Medicare patients had CKD and in 2012 only 15% had that condition. This is critically important because CKD is so dangerous. Most chronic kidney disease is due to diabetes and high blood pressure that is poorly controlled. A study of patients withtype 2 diabetes who had CKD enrolled patients at an average age of 55. By age 68, half of the patients in usual care were dead. That is only 13 years and 68 is far too young. Twenty-five percent in an overall number. The graph below shows the disparities for minorities and the map shows regional differences. Blacks are three times as likely to have kidney failure requiring dialysis. Only 10% of patients who have CKD know they have it. Therefore, the opportunity to slow CKD progression is missed in most patients.The study mentioned above proves that only one sixth as many patients with CKD on optimal medical therapy progress to dialysis compared with patients in usual care. The way we can best help minorities avoid dialysis is to develop the systems to diagnose CKD and consistently apply optimal medical therapy to slow progression.