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Carmine Berardinelli of Point Pleasant has his blood pressure checked by Kimball Medical Center nurse Debbi Englehardt, Community Outreach Coordinator, at the recent KEEP kidney screening held at the hospital.
, AUGUST 15, 2008 – More than 40 area residents turned out for the Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP), a free kidney screening recently offered by Kimball Medical Center in collaboration with the National Kidney Foundation of Greater New York.
The KEEP program is designed to identify individuals at increased risk for kidney disease and kidney failure. Numerous studies have shown that uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension are associated with an increased risk of developing kidney disease. Evidence also supports the view that there may be a genetic predisposition for risk of developing kidney disease.
Participants in the screening received a blood pressure check and several blood and urine tests for hemoglobin, glucose, creatinine and pyuria. In addition, the screening process involved a detailed health screening questionnaire, weight measurements, and an exit interview with a nephrologist who met privately with each patient.
The National Kidney Foundation will conduct follow-up with those individuals whose test values are outside the normal range and will be advised to seek further evaluation from a physician. All KEEP participants are sent their entire screening results within a few weeks after the screening. Approximately two months after the results are sent, individuals deemed at high risk are contacted to determine if they consulted a physician.
The screening was offered free of charge and held at Kimball Medical Center’s Center for Healthy Living.
CONTACT: Kristine A. Brown
Director of Public Relations
(732) 557-3902
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