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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have polycystic kidney disease and you're considering having children, a genetic counselor can help you assess your risk of passing the disease to your offspring.
Keeping your kidneys as healthy as possible may help prevent some of the complications of this disease. One of the most important ways you can protect your kidneys is by managing your blood pressure. Here are some tips for keeping your blood pressure in check:
- Take any blood pressure medications prescribed as directed.
- Eat a low-salt, low-fat diet containing plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your doctor what the right weight is for you.
- Quit smoking, if you're a smoker.
- Participate in regular exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
- Try to manage your stress levels.
- Polycystic kidney disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/polycystic/. Accessed May 19, 2009.
- Polycystic kidney disease. Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/polycystic.pdf. Accessed May 19, 2009.
- Salant DJ, et al. Polycystic kidney disease and other inherited tubular disorders, In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2874530. Accessed May 22, 2009.
- Polycystic kidney disease. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=polycystickidneydisease. Accessed May 19, 2009.
- Grantham JJ. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;359:1477.
- How is high blood pressure treated? National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_Treatments.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
