We provide renal programs and services to support kidney health. Whether you're exploring preventive measures, seeking guidance on managing a diagnosis, or looking for support during treatment, our goal is to empower you with comprehensive resources. Our dedicated kidney health team is committed to supporting your journey towards kidney health and wellness through the various clinics and services listed below:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition in which there is a gradual loss of kidney function over time. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in urine. When CKD reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes can build up.
The goal of Kidney Care Clinics (KCC) is to help slow or stop the loss of kidney function and promote wellness for patients and families affected by chronic kidney disease. Patients are referred to the Kidney Care Clinic through a nephrologist. The KCC has a team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians and social workers who specialize in the treatment of kidney disease and who offer medical care, education, and counseling.
Visit the service listing page for Chronic Kidney Disease to learn more and view locations where this service is offered.
In peritoneal dialysis (PD), the lining of your abdominal wall is used as a filter to filter waste products. Dialysis fluid is introduced into the abdominal cavity through a small tube (catheter). The peritoneal membrane draws waste products into the dialysis fluid. The waste products are then removed from the body when the fluid is drained out. The PD Clinic provides education programs to teach you and/or your family how to perform peritoneal dialysis at home. After training, there is ongoing regular check-ups and support by the PD team.
Visit the service listing page for Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Clinics to learn more and view locations where this service is offered.
Provides follow up care for solid organ transplant recipients, mostly kidney transplant. Transplant recipients are seen on a regular basis and receive monitoring and support through the clinic. The Kidney Transplant Program offers pre-transplant referral assessment services, transplant surgery, and post-transplant care.
Visit the service listing page for Transplant Clinics to learn more and view locations where this service is offered.
Kidneys are essential for filtering toxins, fluids and electrolytes from the blood, converting them into urine. They also contribute to hormone production, such as erythropoietin, renin, and activated vitamin D, which influence various body systems, including bone health, cardiovascular integrity, parathyroid function, and hemoglobin production.
Learn more:
Kidneys can be damaged more quickly, acute kidney injury (AKI), or over more time, chronic kidney disease (CKD).
What is Kidney Disease? – Kidney Foundation
Damage to the kidney can be detected through data like decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the blood, increased creatine and/or urea in the blood, detection of certain substances (like albumin) in urine, and/or presence of certain signs and symptoms.
When the cause of an AKI is treated, the kidneys are likely to recover. There are many causes of AKI including, but not limited to: dehydration, low blood pressure, ingesting substances toxic to the kidneys, and kidney stones.
Chronic kidney disease is more likely to happen overtime and is not considered reversible. The common causes of CKD are often different to AKI.
Learn more from the Kidney Foundation
The two most common causes of CKD are:
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Genetic conditions causing CKD |
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Resources from the Kidney Foundation |
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Other causes of CKD |
Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed by a doctor and/or nephrologist (kidney doctor). They can review data in a blood test, urine test, and physical assessment.
One important blood test in CKD diagnosis is eGFR. A doctor can tell what stage of CKD you may be in with your results.
Learn more from the Kidney Foundation:
Having albumin in your urine can be a sign of kidney disease even if your eGFR is above 60 or “normal."
Learn more from the Kidney Foundation:
There are five stage of chronic kidney disease. It is important to make lifestyle and medical changes to prevent stage 5, also known as end stage renal disease or kidney failure.
Learn more:
Kidney failure is also called stage 5 chronic kidney disease or end stage renal disease. To find out if you are risk for kidney failure, enter your blood GFR and amount of albumin in urine in the The Kidney Failure Risk Equation. Please go through the Are You at Risk? Module (Kidney Foundation) and Are You at Risk? booklet (Kidney Foundation).
It is important to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. Within Interior Health, there are Kidney Care Clinics that guide patients in doing just this. They have also been called chronic kidney disease clinics or pre-dialysis clinics.
Luckily, with lifestyle and medication changes kidney failure for many can be avoided. Key topics to slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease are controlling diabetes, lowering high blood pressure, optimizing lifestyle, and avoiding substances toxic to the kidneys.
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Control Diabetes |
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Lower High Blood Pressure
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Optimize Lifestyle Renal Nutrition
Exercise |
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Avoid Substances Toxic to the Kidneys |
When in kidney failure, essentially the kidneys do not work anymore and are unlikely to recover. However, if diagnosed with kidney failure, there are options called renal replacement therapies that essentially replace the kidney through some sort of therapy.
Can I reverse kidney disease? Is there a cure? - Kidney Foundation
Kidney transplant is considered the gold standard to treat kidney failure. The next option is dialysis at home. This includes peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis. The last option is hemodialysis at a facility. An alternative option to choosing a renal replacement therapy is conservation care.
Please note it may be possible to transition between renal replacement options.
A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure in which a healthy kidney from a donor is placed into a person whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. A kidney transplant is generally considered the best treatment for most people with kidney failure if deemed a suitable candidate.
Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the abdominal wall to clean the blood, allowing treatment to take place in the comfort of you own home.
Type of access: Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter (kidney.ca)
Hemodialysis pumps your blood through a dialysis machine to remove waste and excess fluid, and then returns “clean’ blood back into your body. Home hemodialysis treatment takes place in the comfort of your own home.
Type of access:
Hemodialysis can occur at a facility attached to a hospital (in-centre hemodialysis) or in a community dialysis unit. Normally, this therapy requires a person to come in three times a week for an average of four hours of treatment.
Type of Access:
Dialysis at home allows you to receive treatment in the comfort of your own home. Home dialysis includes both peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis. Many people dialysing at home talk about having more freedom and independence. Benefits could also include maintaining residual kidney function. Also, since dialysis at home can happen every day, the treatments can be gentler on the body. Some more benefits can include:
Learn more:
Visit our separate webpage to learn how to manage things like signs and symptoms, medication, finances and multiple health professionals.
Managing a chronic disease as a kidney patient
The page contains information on:
Visit our separate webpage to learn how to prevent and treat health issues related to chronic kidney disease.
Managing associated kidney health concerns
The page contains information on:
Still have questions?
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