The Body's Keepers

A Social History of Kidney Failure and Its Treatments

De: Paul Kimmel

Narrado por: Lane Hakel

The kidney is an extraordinary organ—in many ways the regulator, the metronome, the keeper of the human body’s delicate equilibrium. On a given day, minute by minute, it purifies the body of toxins it encounters from diet, climate, activity, and injury. It allows us to be and to move in the world. And yet most of us know so very little about these extraordinary vessels nestled in our bodies—and indeed millions of us only really learn about them when they stop working. Nearly a million Americans every year have end stage kidney disease, about 37 million have some form of chronic kidney disease. And it is an incredibly common universe of challenge and ailment that, until relatively recently, would simply kill those afflicted with it. Renowned nephrologist Dr. Paul Kimmel takes us on an eye-opening journey through the history of kidney disease, dialysis, and transplantation. Drawing on both his extensive research and decades of experience in the field, he explains the development of treatments, technologies, and medical practices that have advanced the care of patients with kidney disease. Kimmel illuminates the impact of medical advances on the lives of those suffering from this debilitating disease and offers a clear understanding of the challenges that remain.

©2024 Paul Kimmel (P)2024 Mayo Clinic Press

Terrible narration

Interesting history of kidney disease treatment in US, including background of current dominant dialysis companies

Informative and delightful read!

I am a kidney specialist and a physician-scientist, and I truly enjoyed this up-to date and well researched appraisal of kidney function and kidney maladies. Lay audience and experts alike will enjoy this book because the author effectively described the interplay between the suffering of kidney failure, advances in understanding of genetic basis of kidney disease, advances in care of kidney disease, impact of government policies, profit motives of Pharma and dialysis providers and pervasive effects of structural racism on the experience and outcome of people with kidney disease in the U.S.

While it was helpful to establish their credibility, the exhaustive listing of credentials of many of the personalities in the book was atimes distracting.