Dr. Laura Rankin
Nephrology
3366 Nw Expressway Suite 550 Oklahoma City OK, 73112Rating
4/5
About
Laura I. Rankin, MD, is a well-versed nephrologist and founder of Kidney Specialists of Central Oklahoma, which she established in Oklahoma City in 1996. Furthermore, she serves as Medical Director of Hemodialysis at Integris Baptist Medical Center and is the former medical director and CEO of Dialysis Specialists of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Rankin maintains her affiliations with multiple local hospitals, including Integris Health and Select Specialty Hospital. And, she is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She continues to be on the teaching faculty at the Great Plains Family Medicine Residency Program in Oklahoma City. As a nephrologist, she specializes in the treatment of kidney disease, from diet and medication to renal replacement therapy. Dr. Rankin has an impressive professional journey that spans more than forty years.
Education and Training
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 1973
Board Certification
nephrology
Internal MedicineAmerican Board of Internal MedicineABIM- Nephrology
Provider Details
Dr. Laura Rankin's Expert Contributions
My kidney function is worsening. Can it be stopped?
Supplements, herbals, and dietary changes won't make a difference. I'm glad to hear that your doctors are getting you ready to be on the transplant waiting list! READ MORE
Can donating a kidney shorten your life?
We really evaluate a possible kidney donor in great detail, so that we can be as sure as humanly possible that there will be no effect on the donor. As I teach about this, I state that the job of the doctor evaluating the donor is to say NO if there are ANY problems. I hope this helps as you consider what to do. READ MORE
Could the pain in my back be a kidney infection?
The fever makes me think that a kidney infection may well be happening. You should see your doctor READ MORE
My daughter is not passing enough urine. Is this an emergency?
She should be evaluated to be sure that there are no problems READ MORE
How can I flush out kidney stones?
The problem is that the only way to "flush out" kidney stones is to get enough push from urine to get them out. And it is the pressure from the build up of urine on top of the stone that is what hurts. Sounds like a vicious circle doesn't it! To some extent, the more you drink, the more likely you are to have the pain for a shorter period of time. Remember too for the future--the most important thing to prevent kidney stones or at least to decrease their frequency is to drink enough water that your urine is never concentrated and therefore more likely for crystals to start forming. If it is clear or a very light yellow, that's okay. Never a darker yellow or really yellow READ MORE
Why is there sugar in my urine?
Sugar in the urine usually means that the person has a high blood sugar, and therefore diabetes mellitus. And that is pretty important!! Very infrequently, sugar in the urine with a normal glucose is seen, as part of a kidney problem. READ MORE
What are the best drinks to help flush out toxins from the kidney?
None will make your kidneys better or flush out the toxins. No diet changes will make a difference either. READ MORE
How long does kidney transplant surgery last?
Generally about 3 hours, but it depends -- maybe 4-5 hours. READ MORE
How does a renal ultrasound work?
An ultrasound involves using special equipment to bounce sound waves off things in the body, in this case the kidneys. It takes less than 30 minutes, uses a special grease (they call it a jelly) to be able to have the sound waves to go from the part of the machine on the skin into the body, and it has no side effects. One could call this a radar exam, just like the naval destroyer looking for submarines! READ MORE
Is kidney transplant surgery safe?
Generally this is a pretty safe surgery, and if you are the one receiving the kidney, you will likely feel better than now even before leaving the hospital. READ MORE
My 8 year old child has a UTI?
He needs antibiotics and evaluation by his pediatrician and very possibly by a urologist to find out why he has a UTI. Boys and girls under the age of 10 don't get UTIs without a reason, and often a serious reason. READ MORE
What are the signs of kidney infections in kids?
She should be evaluated, and if it is a kidney infection, she should be seen by a urologist to find out why she is getting a urine infection READ MORE
My son has juvenile diabetes. Can this lead to kidney problems?
Juvenile diabetes can lead to kidney disease, but it is much less likely to do so if the blood sugars are well controlled. Thankfully, he has developed this disease when he can test blood sugars, even have a glucose sensor that can interact with an insulin pump. Technology has gotten so much better than 40-50 years ago, when the urine was tested, not the blood, and kidney damage was more common. READ MORE
Could kidney issues be the cause of my lower back pain?
It is possibly a kidney infection, but it could be muscular or arthritic. A urine test for infection will given the answer to your question. READ MORE
Will I have diet restrictions post my kidney transplant?
The great thing about the transplant is that most of your diet restrictions will go away. You may be restricting the amount of phosphate or potassium now. That will stop. If fact the transplant often leaks extra phosphate into the urine, and so we may ask you to eat foods that are high in phosphate!! There won't be any protein restriction. For some people with a transplant, they still need to follow a sodium (salt) restricted diet, but others don't. So life is much better and easier with the transplant! READ MORE
Can antibiotics cause a rise in creatinine levels?
It could be due to the antibiotics-depends on what one she is taking--or it could be the infection. Please ask her doctor. READ MORE
How can I prevent kidney stones from recurring?
The first thing for any kidney stones is to drink more fluid. A dark concentrated urine is more likely to have things crystallize out--that is the start of a stone, and the continuation of a stone buildup. If your urine is dark yellow, you are making crystals!! Next is to talk to your doctor to find out what kind of kidney stone you had, to decrease the chances of having others. It is worth investigating, as we have specific things to do with the various kinds of stones. READ MORE
Can kidney infections go away on their own?
It is possible for a kidney infection to go away on its own. I am more concerned about why a 14 year old boy should get a kidney infection, so he should be evaluated for what might be wrong with the bladder, ureters and kidneys. READ MORE
Is fistula necessary for a CKD patient?
The reason that we prefer to have a vein or artificial vein for hemodialysis is that the chances of infection are very much better. The catheter being used for dialysis now has a tip that is right at the edge of going into the heart. If it gets infected, the heart is possibly infected, which may mean that she would have an infected heart valve. The infected end of the catheter may send bacteria off to distant places, like the disks in the back, causing the bones (vertebrae) to be infected and collapse. The bacteria may go to the brain or to muscles. Or the bacteria may cause a condition called septic shock, where the person is very ill, in the ICU, blood pressure is low, and death may be near. Yes, if she is committed to stay alive with dialysis, it should be done. READ MORE
Is a kidney transplant better than dialysis?
No matter what the disease that put him on dialysis, the survival is better with a transplant, and the "way of life" is better (by a long shot--who wants to be on dialysis?) Good luck to him, and hope that he gets a kidney soon! READ MORE
Expert Publications
Data provided by the National Library of Medicine- Urinary N-acetyl-glocosaminidase excretion in rats with renovascular hypertension.
- Urinary N-acetyl-glocosaminidase excretion in rats with renovascular hypertension.
- Protection from gentamicin nephrotoxicity by cephalothin and carbenicillin.
- Protection from gentamicin nephrotoxicity by cephalothin and carbenicillin.
- The nature of cardiac myxomas.
- The nature of cardiac myxomas.
- Nephrotic syndrome and pregnancy. Potential problems for mother and child.
- Enhancement of gentamicin nephrotoxicity by magnesium depletion in the rat.
- Metastatic atrial myxoma presenting as intracranial mass.
- Recovery from aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity with continued drug administration.
- Comparative low-dose nephrotoxicities of dibekacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin.
- The effect of sodium on aldosterone metabolic clearance.
- Blood pressure of alloxan diabetic rats at regular and high salt intake.
Faculty Titles & Positions
- Medical Director of Hemodialysis Integris Baptist Medical Center -
- Clinical Professor of Medicine The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center -
- Board of Directors and the Medical Advisory Committee ESRD Network 13 -
Fellowships
- Mercy St Vincent Medical Center Nephrology
Dr. Laura Rankin's Practice location
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Dr. Laura Rankin's reviews
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Media Releases
Get to know Nephrologist Dr. Laura I. Rankin, who serves patients in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Specializing in the care and treatment of the kidneys, Dr. Rankin has been with Kidney Specialists of Central Oklahoma since its establishment in 1996. Now recognized as the largest private practice kidney specialist group in Oklahoma, its mission since the beginning has been to provide compassionate, state-of-the-art medical care and education to patients with kidney disease.
Among her multiple clinical and academic roles, Dr. Rankin serves as a Clinical Professor of Medicine at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and as the Medical Director of Hemodialysis of the Integris hospital system. She also serves on the Board of Directors and the Medical Advisory Committee at ESRD Network 13, and on the teaching faculty at Great Plains Family Medicine Residency Program in Oklahoma City. She is the former Medical Director/CEO of Dialysis Specialists of Central Oklahoma.
The doctor is affiliated with dialysis centers located around the Oklahoma City Metro and the following hospitals: Integris Baptist Hospital, Integris Portland Avenue, Integris Health Hospital Edmond, Integris Canadian Valley, and Integris Southwest Medical Center.
Her career in medicine began in 1973 when she earned her medical degree from the University of Iown Carver School of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa. She then went on to complete her residency in internal medicine and her fellowship in nephrology at Indiana University Hospital. She spent 16 years on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. She is a co-author of more than 20 scientific articles.
Dr. Rankin is board-certified in both internal medicine and nephrology by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Nephrology is a specialty of medicine and pediatrics that concerns itself with the kidneys. It is the study of normal kidney function and kidney disease, the preservation of kidney health, and the treatment of kidney disease, from diet and medication to renal replacement therapy. Nephrologists have advanced training in treating kidney disease. They diagnose and treat kidney failure, as well as help patients by prescribing medications, offering special diet advice, and coordinating dialysis care when the time comes.
Additional Information
Laura I. Rankin, MD, is a Leading Nephrologist with Kidney Specialists of Central Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, OK
Laura I. Rankin, MD, is a well-versed nephrologist and founder of Kidney Specialists of Central Oklahoma, which she established in Oklahoma City in 1996. Furthermore, she serves as Medical Director of Hemodialysis at Integris Baptist Medical Center and is the former medical director and CEO of Dialysis Specialists of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Rankin maintains her affiliations with multiple local hospitals, including Integris Health and Select Specialty Hospital. And, she is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She continues to be on the teaching faculty at the Great Plains Family Medicine Residency Program in Oklahoma City. As a nephrologist, she specializes in the treatment of kidney disease, from diet and medication to renal replacement therapy. Dr. Rankin has an impressive professional journey that spans more than forty years. For more information about Dr. Laura I. Rankin, please visit https://kidneyspecialistsok.com/laura-rankin-md/.
Laura I. Rankin, MD, attended Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and received her medical degree in 1973. Furthermore, she conducted her internal medicine residency at Indiana University Hospitals. In addition, she completed her fellowship training in nephrology at the same teaching venue. Dr. Rankin received board certification in internal medicine and nephrology from the American Board of Internal Medicine. And, he remains at the forefront of his challenging specialty via memberships and affiliations with prestigious professional societies and associations. In addition to her clinical and academic roles, she serves on the Board of Directors and the Medical Advisory Committee at ESRD Network 13. For more information about Dr. Laura I. Rankin, please visit https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/2549663-Laura-Rankin-Nephrologist-Kidney-Specialist
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Nearest Hospitals
INTEGRIS BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTERl
3300 NORTHWEST EXPRESSWAY OKLAHOMA CITY OK 73112ALLIANCEHEALTH DEACONESSl
5501 NORTH PORTLAND AVENUE OKLAHOMA CITY OK 73112