Jon R. Keillor - Mayo Clinic Health Letter: Year in Review 2021

Mayo Clinic Health Letter

Senior Editor

Joey Keillor

Managing Editor

Jennifer Jacobson

Writers

Daniel Simmons Lisa Speckhard Pasque

Medical Illustration

Frank Corl M. Alice McKinney

Medical Editor

Daniel Roberts, M.D.

Associate Medical Editor

Amindra Arora, M.B., B.Chir.

Editor in Cheif, Mayo Clinic Press

Nina Wiener

Copy Editing

Miranda Attlesey, Alison Baker, Nancy Jacoby, Julie Maas

Administrative Assistant

Terri Zanto Strausbauch

Editorial Board Salvador Alvarez, M.D., Infectious Disease; Shreyasee Amin, M.D., Rheumatology; Amindra Arora, M.B., B.Chir., Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Lisa Buss Preszler, Pharm.D., Pharmacy; Clayton Cowl, M.D., Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; Mark Davis, M.D., Dermatology; Christopher DeSimone, M.D., Ph.D., Cardiovascular Medicine; Heather Fields, M.D., Internal Medicine; Tina Hieken, M.D., Gastrointestinal Surgery; Amir Khan, M.D., Ophthalmology; Kellen Lambeau, DNP, APRN, CNP, Family Medicine; Mary Marnach, M.D., Gynecology; Denise Millstine, M.D., Womens Health/Internal Medicine; Timothy Moynihan, M.D., Oncology; Daniel Roberts, M.D., Hospital Internal Medicine; Craig Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., Psychiatry & Psychology; Phillip Sheridan, D.D.S., Periodontics; Peter Southorn, M.D., Anesthesiology; Paul Takahashi, M.D., Internal Medicine; Matthew Tollefson, M.D., Urology; Rochelle Torgerson, M.D., Ph.D., Dermatology; Gerald Volcheck, M.D., Allergic Diseases; Robert Wilfahrt, M.D., Family Medicine; Joey Keillor, Health Information.

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As medical editor of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, Im closely involved in the production of each issue, from the initial story ideas to the final sign-off before going to press. In that long and rewarding process, one part stands out as the most satisfying: getting my copy of the Health Letter in the mail, opening the envelope, unfolding the issue, and seeing and feeling the hard effort of our publishing team come to life as a paper publication.

Like many of our loyal and appreciated subscribers, I keep a folder of past issues. In looking back over the breadth and scope of the topics the Health Letter covered in 2021, I was struck by the in-depth writing and colorful, instructive medical illustrations that come and go so quickly from our lives and perhaps do not reach and help as many people as we would prefer.

With the publication of Mayo Clinic Health Letter 2021 Year in Review, we have compiled all of our 2021 issues and Special Reports into one digital volume, making it easy to take a years worth of cutting edge health information with you wherever you go.

And why not? The last two years of living with COVID-19 has changed the way we do things at the Health Letter as much as its changed everything else. About the only thing that hasnt changed is our process of gathering the best experts from across all of Mayo Clinic and enlisting their help in explaining often complex health issues to our readers in a clear, accurate and helpful way, so people can live healthier lives.

We know that our mission is to reach our readers wherever they are. Whether you read Health Letter in print or prefer to read it on your tablet, computer or phone, our goal is to bring Mayos tradition of expertise and clarity to help as many people as possible, for as long as its needed.

I hope you appreciate the wealth of information in these pages and find it helpful and relevant to your life. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing.

As ever, I wish you the best of health for many years to come and I appreciate your continued readership of the Health Letter.

Yours in good health,

Daniel L. Roberts, M.D.

Medical Editor

Reliable Information for a Healthier Life

Vol. 39 No. 1 January 2021

You have a friend who has been on dialysis. Someone at your church had a kidney transplant. So, when your doctor mentions that you are at risk of chronic kidney disease, it certainly gets your attention.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) refers to reduced kidney function that stretches over three months or longer.CKD spans many different stages. In the early to middle stages of the disease, an evaluation by a kidney doctor may reveal an underlying problem that may be correctable, restoring kidney function. Sometimes, lost kidney function cant be restored, and steps can be taken to protect remaining kidney function, maintaining a relatively normal life and life span. Only the final stage end-stage kidney disease forces treatment options such as dialysis or transplant.