“Most people know about cancer and heart attacks and strokes but kidney disease is quiet, ” says Dr. Peggy Mouracade, a nephrologist on the medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System.

The kidneys. They play an active role in our daily lives. They’re sole purpose: to clear waste from the body. But when something goes wrong, you may not notice it immediately.

“The most difficult concept to try to explain to people is that you can still be making urine and still have problems with kidney functioning,” warns Dr. Mouracade. That’s why it’s important to schedule regular visits with your doctor. “First of all, establishing care with a primary care physician is key. Then it’s detected; your monitored.” The doctor can then order blood tests and other lab work in hopes of catching kidney disease, before it gets out of hand. “Most people make it into my office, a kidney specialist’s office, based on blood work, urinalysis, or imagine studies, like an ultrasound or a cat-scan,” adds Dr. Mouracade.

She adds knowing your family’s health history is also pivotal. “During their childhood, were they aware of any conditions, recently, any illnesses or family history of anything, diabetes, and hypertension, they’re the two major causes of kidney disease worldwide.”

An action plan that could silence the quiet disease for good.