Talking To Your Patients
Regardless of their understanding about their condition and how high phosphorus levels may impact them, patients with CKD Stage 5 often have a number of questions about various aspects of their treatment. To help you discuss these more with your patients, we've provided the following list of questions along with answers you can provide.
Different theories exist and patients' conditions are different. So the questions and answers posted here may not be appropriate for all patients.
- Q. Why do I have to take a phosphate binder with every meal?
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A. Phosphorus is found in a variety of foods your patients may eat, including dairy products, red meat, poultry, eggs, and fish. Phosphate binders work to remove phosphorus from your patients' bodies, so that instead of getting absorbed into their system—the phosphorus passes through when they use the bathroom. To work, the phosphate binder needs to attach to the phosphorus your patients have consumed in their stomachs either during or immediately after eating. If they wait too long to take the phosphate binder, some of the phosphorus could be absorbed into their bodies.
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- Q. If I am following my diet and taking binders, why is my phosphorus so high?
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A. There are a number of factors that can cause high phosphorus levels and patients may not necessarily have control over many of them. The factors include hidden phosphorus in your patients' foods, or perhaps their medication or dialysis needs to be altered to better manage phosphorus levels. The important thing to realize is that the efforts patients make to control their condition really does matter and that it’s not that uncommon to make adjustments to the treatment plan so it better fits their needs.
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- Q. Regardless of my efforts, I will still have kidney disease. Why should I care about phosphorus?
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A. Chronic Kidney Disease is a condition that can pose many difficulties and can be tiring for patients to manage over time. However, the things your patients can do—like managing phosphorus levels—really can make a difference in helping them live longer and higher quality lives.
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- Q. I can't feel high phosphorus levels, so why should I worry about them?
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A. High phosphorus levels are similar to high blood pressure. With both of them, even though patients may not necessarily feel them or think about them in daily life, when they are at unhealthy levels over time, they can begin to have a negative impact on the body. Over time, high phosphorus levels can cause patients to have weaker bones, develop calcifications or mineral deposits in their body and make them more likely to have cardiovascular problems—like heart attacks and strokes. Also, high phosphorus levels can cause an increased risk of death. By managing their phosphorus levels, your patients can manage these serious effects of their disease.
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To view some common questions patients may have about treatment with FOSRENOL®, please view our FOSRENOL® FAQs page.