IgA Nephropathy (Berger Disease)

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical and family history. You may have:

Physical exam, including checking your blood pressure and looking for signs of swelling.
Urinalysis to check for blood in your urine.
Blood tests to check levels of cholesterol, protein and waste in your blood.
Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) blood test to check how much blood your kidneys are filtering every minute.
Urine protein test to check for protein and/or albumin in your urine.
Twenty-four-hour urine studies can be done to check how much protein or albumin is being lost in your urine during that time period.

Will I need a kidney biopsy?

If you need further testing, your healthcare provider may order a kidney biopsy. This procedure can confirm a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy.

Your healthcare provider uses a needle to remove a small piece of kidney tissue. A pathologist examines the tissue to look for IgA deposits in the glomeruli and see the extent of the damage.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

Request an appointment

Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

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