Let's Talk About Kidneys – Details, episodes & analysis

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Let's Talk About Kidneys

Dallas Nephrology Associates

Health & Fitness

Frequency: 1 episode/61d. Total Eps: 24

Nephrologists work daily to improve the quality of care for their patients. These kidney doctors know that when their patients understand their condition, they can better manage their kidney health. "Let's Talk About Kidneys'' takes a deep dive into the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patient journey. It's a podcast that inspires meaningful conversations and helps people living with CKD gain a full understanding of their disease. With this knowledge, CKD patients can improve their outcomes while living a longer, more fulfilling life. Do you know anyone with CKD? Tune in to gain valuable information that can help you understand and support your loved ones who are living with kidney disease.

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🇨🇦 Canada - Medicine
22/06/2026
#100

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https://www.dneph.com/podcast-disclaimer/
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https://prepareforyourcare.org/en/advance-directive
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https://www.nih.gov/
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RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 79%

Publication history

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Pregnancy and Kidney Disease: What to expect?

Season 25 · Episode 4

Monday, February 23, 2026 • Duration 24:01

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a condition that affects how the kidneys work over time. For women with CKD who are planning to have a family, there are important factors to consider to ensure the best possible outcomes. Can I have a baby if I have CKD?

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Kidney Disease: From Diagnosis, Staging and Common Lab Tests

Season 24 · Episode 3

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 • Duration 22:49

In this episode of Let's Talk About Kidneys, Dr. Lauren McDonald, a nephrologist with Dallas Nephrology Associates, discusses the diagnosis, staging, and common tests for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dr. McDonald explains how kidney disease is diagnosed, common symptoms, and some of the key tests, including BUN, creatinine, GFR, hemoglobin A1C, kidney biopsies, and more. She also discusses the importance of being your own healthcare advocate, family histories, how to maintain health records, and the importance of monitoring your diabetes, and hypertension.

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What is New in Kidney Transplant?

Season 24 · Episode 2

Thursday, April 3, 2025 • Duration 19:41

This episode of Let's Talk About Kidneys, Dr. Saim, a nephrologist with Dallas Nephrology Associates, discusses what is new in kidney transplant. The podcast discusses advancements in kidney transplantation, focusing on the benefits and risks of living and deceased donor transplant. Dr. Saim highlights that over 25,000 transplants were performed last year, with nearly 7,000 from living donors. Living donor transplants offer better survival rates and shorter waiting time. The waiting list has nearly 100,000 patients, with blood group O having the longest wait. Deceased donor transplants used KDPI to assess donor quality. High KDPI kidneys benefit diabetics over 50. The conversation also covers post-transplant care, recovery, and the use of new immunosuppressive belatacept drugs. Future prospects include artificial kidneys and xenotransplants.

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Dialysis Patients and Their Diet

Season 24 · Episode 1

Saturday, March 15, 2025 • Duration 34:45

Let's Talk About Kidneys

Dialysis Patients and Their Diet

In this episode of Let's Talk About Kidneys, Dr. Rao, a nephrologist at Dallas Nephrology Associates, discusses the importance of diet for all dialysis patients. She emphasizes the need for dietary modifications even before dialysis, focusing on reducing salt intake, managing potassium and phosphorus levels, and maintaining adequate protein consumption.

Introduction

Dr. Rao shares her background, mentioning that she joined Dallas Nephrology Associates fifteen years ago and sees patients mostly in Mesquite, Sunnyvale, and Garland. Dr. Rao explains her role in caring for CKD patients and dialysis patients, emphasizing the importance of dietary guidance for kidney disease management.

Importance of Diet in Kidney Disease

Dr. Rao highlights the significance of diet in managing kidney disease, noting that dietary changes are necessary even in early stages of CKD. She discusses the impact of risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure on kidney function and the need for balanced mineral intake. Dr. Rao emphasizes the importance of reducing salt intake and avoiding processed foods, canned items, and fast food for better kidney health.

Dietary Changes for CKD Patients

Dr. Rao explains that dietary modifications should begin early in the CKD journey to delay disease progression and improve patient wellness. She outlines common dietary changes for CKD patients, including reducing salt intake, avoiding processed foods, and managing potassium and phosphorus levels. Dr. Rao stresses the importance of maintaining a balance of minerals in the body to prevent toxic effects and ensure overall wellness.

Protein Intake for Dialysis Patients

Dr. Rao discusses the importance of protein for dialysis patients, noting that protein levels can fluctuate due to kidney disorders and inflammation. She recommends consuming adequate protein in every meal, with examples like egg whites, lean meats, fish, lentils, and beans.

New Treatment Therapies In Kidney Care

Season 3 · Episode 20

Wednesday, August 14, 2024 • Duration 16:19

In this episode of the Let's Talk About Kidneys podcast, Dr. Roberto Collazo addresses the development of new treatments for kidney disease that are essential for slowing disease progression, improving patient outcomes, and preventing kidney failure. Throughout his discussion, he will examine various therapeutic options currently available, as well as those expected in the future.

What types of treatments have there been in the past for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?

Dr. Collazo addressed the medications available during the 1990s and early 2000s. He also discussed newly introduced medications aimed at slowing the progression of kidney disease and enhancing patient outcomes.

What are the new types of treatments?

Dr. Collazo discussed several new treatment therapies currently available, which have led to positive outcomes. These treatments include:

· Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors / Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)

· Flozins (also known as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 or SGLT-2 Inhibitors)

· Non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (nsMRAs)

· Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1)

What research has been completed regarding the benefits in treatment of other conditions related to kidney disease?

Dr. Collazo addressed the recent statement issued by the American Heart Association, which acknowledges a new syndrome known as cardio-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. Cardio-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a health condition that impacts the heart, kidneys, and metabolism.

Would you provide me with an example of one of your patients who have benefitted from one of these new treatment therapies?

Weight Management Strategies with CKD

Season 2 · Episode 19

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 • Duration 21:20

In this episode of the Let's Talk About Kidneys podcast, Dallas Nephrology Associates Dietitian, Nadiya Lakhani, RDN, CSR, LD, FNKF, explains why weight management is important to the general population and how it affects the kidneys.

How does weight affect the kidneys?

When the body carries more weight than it can handle, it increases the demand on the kidneys to hyper filtrate. In other words, it forces your kidneys to work harder, which will eventually cause them to be overworked. On the flip side, unintentional weight loss increases the risk of that person having increased days in hospital which in turn increases the risk of infection. In addition, weight loss often means losing muscle mass which is also very hard on the kidneys.

How do doctors determine healthy weight?

Oftentimes formulas are used to determine a healthy weight, but Nadiya explains that what determines a healthy weight must take a wider view than just a formula like body mass index (BMI). Healthy weight should be determined by what is healthy for that specific person and should also take into consideration weight history, musculature, weight distribution, as well as gender, age and body frame.

Treatment Interventions for Overweight and Underweight

Treatment for weight loss is pretty straightforward and includes eating well and moving your body.. Sometimes it is also necessary to also consider pharmaceutical interventions or surgical intervention. Nadiya also discusses in detail the importance of understanding an individual's routines and mindset to help identify small things that will help with weight loss and how to understand and identify hunger cues.

Treatment for being underweight starts first with determining what is causing the weight loss. If they are losing weight unintentionally or because of illness, there is more cause for concern. Weight loss can be caused by gastrointestinal issues (GI), getting full too easily, little to no appetite, etc. In general, treatment could include small changes to add additional calories like drizzling good oils on food, having an extra serving, eating more frequent but smaller meals throughout the day, or adding nutritional supplements.

Rely On the Experts

Kidney Transplant - Getting Started

Season 2 · Episode 18

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 • Duration 26:37

In this episode of the Let's Talk About Kidneys podcast, Dr. Muhammad Qureshi talks about the benefits of a kidney transplant, why it's a good choice after kidney failure, and what the process looks like before, during and after.

Why should a CKD patient consider a kidney transplant?

Dr. Qureshi talks about the fact that there are both mortality and morbidity benefits of a kidney transplant. In other words, not only do you live longer, but you live better.

Who qualifies for a kidney transplant?

Anyone who has a kidney function less than 20% or someone who has already started dialysis on a chronic basis can potentially qualify for a kidney transplant. At that point they will visit a transplant center for a thorough evaluation to be sure they meet the minimum criteria for a transplant. That includes being sure they have a healthy heart and can handle the immunosuppressive medications, as well as age-appropriate screening for cancer, pre-existing infections, etc.

Who is involved in the pre-transplant process?

A nephrologist, transplant surgeon, dietitian, and social worker will all be involved in the pre-transplant process. They each have a role in evaluating the patient and making sure they have adequate coverage for their medications and care plan.

What happens when a patient is matched with an organ?

Once an organ is available, the first person the patient typically sees is a transplant nephrologist. They will again perform screenings to ensure nothing has changed - no active infections or wounds, blood testing to ensure organ compatibility, COVID screening, etc.

What happens after the transplant is complete?

Dr. Qureshi walks through the importance of immunosuppressive medications. The patient will take some immunosuppressive medications immediately following transplant and some will be lifelong, which are called maintenance immunosuppressive medications.

Once the patient is discharged from the hospital, the nephrology team still follows them very closely. They will see the patient three times a week for the first couple of weeks, twice a week for two weeks, and then once a week for about another month. In that time medications will be monitored and adjusted, the wound will be monitored for infection or complications, and more.

What types of kidney transplants are available? How does a patient find a living donor?

Considering Dialysis at Home

Season 2 · Episode 17

Tuesday, August 15, 2023 • Duration 24:04

In this episode of the Let's Talk About Kidneys podcast, Dr. Lauren McDonald talks about the types of dialysis that can be done successfully in your own home including home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. She puts extra emphasis on the fact that choosing the right dialysis modality is a very personal choice and should be made based on a patient's lifestyle and what is most important to them.

Overview of Home Hemodialysis

Home hemodialysis is done in the home. Currently, the dialysis machine is about the size of a nightstand and everything is self contained. It does require 3.5 to 4 hours of time each day, but you can read, watch TV, interact with family and friends, etc.

Disadvantages of Dialysis at Home

Privacy is one potential drawback of home dialysis. Family or friends may see the equipment or even the treatment itself if they stop by, neighbors might see delivery vans bringing supplies, etc. So for patients who prefer to keep their health and medical treatments private, home dialysis may not be the best choice.

Patients must also be comfortable handling the equipment and other minor medical procedures like sticking themselves with needles.

Overview of Peritoneal Dialysis

One of the primary benefits of peritoneal dialysis is how portable it is. During treatment you can leave the house, go to work, go to school, run errands, etc. This also makes it very easy to travel since you just need to take masks, gloves and your exchanges.

How to be Successful with Home Dialysis

Dr. McDonald believes that confidence and strength are key to doing dialysis at home. It can be overwhelming in the beginning, but once you go through training and get the system down, you will get comfortable with it.

The Dallas Nephrology Associates dialysis care team spends focused time ensuring each patient is trained on how to perform their dialysis treatment at home. For peritoneal dialysis, there is at least a 5 to 7 day training period one-on-one with a nurse and with home hemodialysis training will be six weeks. Plus, someone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help with questions or issues that may arise.

The Role of Loved Ones Home Dialysis Timeline

Types of Dialysis: What type of dialysis is best for me? Overview of the three types of dialysis.

Season 2 · Episode 16

Tuesday, July 18, 2023 • Duration 19:37

In this episode of the Let's Talk About Kidneys podcast, Dr. Richey talks about the different types of dialysis and provides an overview to help patients and caregivers to understand what is involved and how to decide which modality is right for each patient.

When is dialysis necessary?

Dialysis is recommended when a patient's kidneys can no longer safely support them. This is determined based on several factors:

Creatinine levels
Potassium levels
Fluid overload

Dr. Richey also mentions that doctors consider how the patient feels in addition to the items above. Can they do things they could normally do in the past?

What are the types of dialysis?

There are three main options for dialysis:

In-center hemodialysis
Home hemodialysis
Peritoneal dialysis (performed at home)

How does dialysis work?

With hemodialysis a patient's blood is run through a machine. The machine cleans the blood, removes extra fluid, and then the cleaned blood is returned back to the patient. Both in-center hemodialysis and home hemodialysis follow the same basic process.

Peritoneal dialysis is very different. With peritoneal dialysis, the patient's own body is used to do the filtering. A catheter goes into the patient's abdomen and through the peritoneum. A special fluid goes into the catheter and through the peritoneum there is an exchange of toxins and fluid removal. Then you empty that fluid out from the abdomen.

What are the different types of access points for dialysis?

Access to the patient's blood is required for dialysis. The most common access for both in-center and home hemodialysis is an arteriovenous (AV) fistula or arteriovenous (AV) graft. Through a surgical procedure, an artery and vein are sealed together to allow for blood flow directly through the artery and into the vein. This allows for a higher rate of blood flow.

What would qualify a patient to do home hemodialysis? What is the typical hemodialysis schedule? What medications are used in combination with dialysis?

A Day in the Life of a Nephrologist

Season 2 · Episode 15

Tuesday, June 20, 2023 • Duration 19:53

No day is ever the same for a nephrologist. Dallas Nephrology Associates' Dr. Paul Skluzacek may see his kidney patients in the office, have hospital rounds, dialysis rounds and much more. In this episode of Let's Talk About Kidneys, learn about Dr. Skluzacek's busy days providing patient care and how his schedule changes from one day to another.

What is a Nephrologist?

Nephrologists are kidney doctors. They have special training that includes completion of medical school followed by a residency in Internal Medicine and then additional specialty training in Nephrology.

They treat systemic conditions affecting kidneys, such as diabetes, an autoimmune disease, as well as hypertension (high blood pressure) and electrolyte disturbances.

Reasons to see a nephrologist may include:

Protein or blood in the urine
Uncontrolled high blood pressure
Kidney stones
Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Kidney failure
Vascular access management
Transplant care

What does a day in the life of a Nephrologist look like?

For a nephrologist, each day is different. Hours may be spent seeing kidney patients in an office-based setting at the clinic, running tests as well as interpreting them. They also prescribe medicine and treatments, conduct hospital rounds and visit their patients at dialysis centers.

Nephrologists also spend time making notes on their patients' physical conditions and advise them how to stay healthy.

"The clinic patients are the outpatients that we see in the office," says Dr. Skluzacek. "The focus there is to preserve their kidney function, protect their kidneys and keep them out of the hospital."

Patients who are admitted to the hospital are there because their kidney illness is more serious.

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Let's Talk About Kidneys – Details, episodes & analysis

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Let's Talk About Kidneys – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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RSS feed quality and score

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Latest published episodes

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