Medical Minute: Kidney Disease Increases Risk Of Heart Problems, Experts Say Early Detection Is Key

For people battling kidney disease, the impact on their health can be compounded due to the strong connection between the heart and kidneys.

The heart and kidneys work together 24 hours a day to maintain proper health. The average heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood per day, while the kidneys filter about 52 gallons.

"The kidney does two major things. One is to clean the toxins that accumulate in the body, as well as the fluid that accumulates in the body and get rid of them," said a health expert.

Once the kidneys filter the blood, the heart pumps it throughout the body. However, when the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, toxins and water remain in the blood, forcing the heart to work harder and increasing the risk of heart disease.

"Kidney disease is a very important health problem," the expert said,

According to the National Kidney Foundation, about 14% of Americans have kidney disease, and nearly 90% of them may not know it until it’s in advanced stages.

"Of course people become ill. Of course that creates cardiac stress. Of course that leads to cardiac damage," said the expert.

Health experts emphasize that the relationship goes both ways: having heart disease can also affect kidney function. Early detection and treatment of one condition can help prevent the development of the other.

Heart disease and kidney disease share common risk factors, including diabetes and high blood pressure.