New Delhi: Chronic Kidney Disease, which is an irreversible and progressive loss of kidney function, is increasing in prevalence worldwide. Up to 10% of the world’s population suffers from kidney disease – the prevalence in India alone varies from 8-13% of the population, varying by region. The kidneys are two vital organs approximately the size of an adult fist located at the back of the abdomen on either side. The kidneys act as blood filters, filtering the circulating blood and excreting the toxins from the blood in the urine. The kidneys filter nearly 200 liters of blood a day. They also play a vital role in blood pressure regulation, fluid and electrolyte balance, the production of vitamin D, and the regulation of Hemoglobin levels by producing a hormone called erythropoietin.
While discussing kidney disease, Dr. Partha Pradeep Shetty, Consultant—Nephrology, Transplant Physician, Manipal Hospital, Millers Road, spoke about the effects of kidney diseases.
Nonfunctioning of kidneys is not compatible with life.
Chronic Kidney Disease is largely silent as symptoms of kidney disease like swelling, breathlessness, reduced urination, and appetite loss usually appear when approximately 2/3rds of the kidney function is already lost and at this stage in many situations it is too late to rectify the issue and people rapidly progress to dialysis. The only treatment available for end-stage kidney disease is dialysis and kidney transplantation. The prevalence of kidney disease is higher among the elderly and among those suffering from diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
Kidneys can also get damaged due to recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), and ingestion of certain types of drugs like painkillers, certain herbal ingredients, certain types of native medicines, and bush medicines. Environmental factors like contamination of natural resources with heavy metals and environmental toxins prevalent in certain geographical areas have accounted for chronic kidney damage in various populations like in the Balkan countries and chronic kidney disease due to Chinese herbs. People who are recurrent stone formers due to genetic or environmental reasons are also at risk of developing obstruction to the urinary tract, which could result in kidney damage.
Ingestion of poor-quality or contaminated nutritional supplements and even the application of low-quality cosmetics containing metals and other chemicals may also contribute to irreversible kidney damage. Rarely, kidney disease could be genetic, such as polycystic kidney disease, and people with a family history of kidney disease should consult their doctor.
It is recommended that all diabetic and hypertensive patients check their urine for protein and blood creatinine levels at least once a year. Diabetics are prone to developing kidney diseases and this may be independent of the level of sugar control and is usually silent. These results should be checked by a Nephrologist and if they are out of range they should follow up with the Nephrologist as per their advice.
Screening of kidney diseases
Screening the population periodically (especially the high-risk population) and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will contribute to keeping our kidneys healthy. People who have been diagnosed with kidney issues need to be seen by a nephrologist and will likely need to be in touch with a nephrologist for their entire lifetime. Kidney diseases, even if temporary or transient, can recur and those with a sustained abnormality in their results are likely to progress over time.
Once the kidney filters are scarred or damaged by disease, they do not recover function and the remaining functioning kidney filters will overwork and eventually wear off, resulting in the progression of kidney disease. This is often manifested by a progressive increase in the creatinine values on laboratory evaluation and will need optimization of various metabolic parameters like electrolytes, hemoglobin, calcium, phosphorus, blood pressure, fluid balance, and nutritional advice from a nephrologist.
The kidneys work hard and work silently throughout one’s life and deserve to be looked after well, and it is not difficult to ensure that they are kept well, as most of the measures that we follow to remain healthy in general also help keep our kidneys healthy.
World Kidney Day: Diabetics are prone to developing kidney diseases and this may be independent of the level of sugar control and is usually silent. These results should be checked by a Nephrologist and if they are out of range they should follow up with the Nephrologist as per their advice. Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
