Members of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce gathered for a ribbon cutting to celebrate Delmarva Kidney and Hypertension Specialists’ one year anniversary. Drs. Eric Ofori and Ndanda Mabhena-Ofori have a vision: to become the Delmarva community’s standard for kidney disease education and prevention by steering their patients towards wellness and longevity.
According to a recent study by the Maryland Office of Vital Statistics, Nephritus and Nephratic Syndrome are among the top 10 causes of mortality in Wicomico County. Furthermore, with regard to Hypertension Emergency Department visits, the State of Maryland target is 22.5 per 100,000 people. In 2013, the base line in Wicomico County was 425.4 per 100,000 people. That means Wicomico County has a long way to go toward controlling and preventing hypertension.
In her remarks, Dr. Mabhena-Ofori shared the good news that hypertension and kidney disease are manageable, and often, preventable. “Just because hypertension and kidney disease run in your family, or you have a parent that is on dialysis, doesn’t mean that has to be your fate,” she said. “We do all we can to educate our patients how to avoid or at least slow down the process of kidney disease that might lead to dialysis. We strive to create a partnership with our patients, their primary care physician and the patient’s family.”
The goal is to delay the need for dialysis as long as possible if not indefinitely. Not only is dialysis a huge commitment of time that has negative effects on a patient’s quality of life, it shortens life expectancy. The average life expectancy of a person on dialysis is ten years, though that can be shortened or extended by a number factors.
The road to wellness is paved with a nutritious diet, exercise, and following your doctors’ instructions. When the patient, doctors and the the patient’s family are working and communicating as a team, wellness is possible.
For more information about the Delmarva Kidney and Hypertension Specialists, LLC, call them at 443-978-7319
