DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure, today announced the launch of the DaVita Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Calculator for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. Available in over 50 countries in language specific versions for English, French, Italian, Spanish and German, the DaVita GFR Calculator for iPhone measures kidney function by calculating a patient’s age, serum creatinine level, gender and race. The GFR Calculator and this new iPhone application is one of the many tools available at DaVita.com.
DaVita.com is the premier online source for kidney disease and dialysis information providing educational articles and videos about chronic kidney disease, dialysis, diet and nutrition. DaVita.com also features more than 500 kidney-friendly recipes and tools including DaVita Diet Helper, an online interactive meal planner for kidney patients, to learn about the disease and optimize their lives with chronic kidney disease and on dialysis.
Glomerular filtration rate is considered by nephrologists and other kidney care professionals to be the best measure of kidney function. Knowing someone’s GFR lets a physician figure out the person’s stage of kidney disease to help plan their treatment. There are five stages of chronic kidney disease. Stages 4 and 5 are the late stages of chronic kidney disease. Stage 5 chronic kidney disease indicates a patient’s kidneys are no longer functioning and dialysis or a kidney transplant are necessary to maintain life.
Health care professionals, or those who want to calculate a GFR, can download the DaVita GFR Calculator from the Apple iTunes App Store for 99 cents. In addition, the application allows someone to search for a nephrologist, educational websites and the toll-free DaVita phone number. Use of the DaVita GFR Calculator for iPhone or iPod touch requires the following: Apple iPhone or iPod touch device Internet access on a Mac or PC computer Apple iTunes installed on a local computer .
Richard Grenell, Senior Vice President of Communications says, “The launch of the DaVita GFR Calculator for iPhone is just another way DaVita is shaping the future of kidney care. In such a mobile society, a tool such as the GFR Calculator allows physicians to educate patients even before they reach kidney failure.”
Laypersons should not rely on any information presented in this database for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, but should consult a physician. More information on DaVita GFR Calculator for iPhone and iPod touch via Apple’s iTunes App Store here.
Source: DaVita Inc.
