Kidney disease is no longer a rare condition, all thanks to our unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle that has increased our susceptibility to kidney problems.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burden of Disease Project, kidney disease contributes to nearly 850,000 deaths per year, along with other urinary tract problems. In order to understand why the global burden of kidney disease is increasing, you need to understand its causes, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an age related progressive loss of kidney function. However, several conditions that can damage the kidneys and reduce their ability to filter wastes from the blood (glomerular filtration rate or GFR) are also included in chronic kidney disease. Once the kidneys start losing their ability to filter blood effectively, wastes start building up in the body resulting in many other complications. By definition, chronic kidney disease occurs when the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is below 60 mL/min/1.73m2 for a period of 3 months or more.
Diabetes and hypertension are the leading causes of kidney disease. As per the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), the following conditions can also cause kidney disease:
Factors that put you at a higher risk of CKD include:
‘The most dangerous thing about CKD is that it progresses silently and is asymptomatic in the early stages. So, most patients will not develop any symptoms until kidney disease progresses to an advanced stage,’ says Dr Deepa Jayaram, consultant nephrologist and renal transplantologist. Here are some symptoms caused in the later stages of the disease.
About 10% of the general population suffers from kidney impairment of some kind, which if not diagnosed and treated at an early stage can lead to CKD, the prevalence of which is 1% in India, says Dr Saurabh Pokhariyal, director, Nephrology and Renal Transplant, FMRI.
According to Dr Jain, the problem lies in delaying regular health checkups. ‘Poor lifestyle practices increases the incidence of diabetes and high blood pressure,’ he says. If you know your risk factors and the status of your kidney function, you can make lifestyle and dietary changes early and save you kidneys from deteriorating completely.
When you go for an annual screening of your kidney function, you will have to undergo some or all of the following tests:
1. Blood tests:Several markers in the blood can help identify the actual kidney function. Urea and creatinine are the gold standards to detect kidney disease.
2. Urine tests: The ratio of values for blood and urine marker can give the actual rate of clearance of kidneys.
3. Estimated GFR: eGFR is the estimate of filtration rate of the kidneys based on a formula that include serum creatinine values along with correction factors like age, gender and race.
4. Imaging tests: Imaging test like renal ultrasound uses ultrasonic waves to analyse the size and shape of the kidneys to identify renal injury and changes in filtration capacity of the kidneys.
Read about 8 tests for checking if your kidneys are functioning fine.
Most cases of CKD are diagnosed at a later stage when nothing much can be done about it. But when CKD is diagnosed at an early stage, further deterioration of kidney function can be prevented with appropriate treatment.
1. Medication: To prevent worsening of kidney function, medicines for controlling modifiable risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels are prescribed.
2. Dialysis: ‘Dialysis is advised when the patient diagnosed with chronic kidney disease or CKD has glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 10 mL/min/1.73 m2. It is needed when the patient’s kidneys stop functioning and he experiences breathlessness due to excess water, increased acid level and high potassium level in the system,’ says Dr Harsh Dodeja, consultant nephrologist, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai. ‘These factors may result in heart rhythm abnormalities when left untreated. ‘But remember, dialysis cannot cure kidney disease. It is just supports the kidney function until the body may recover,’ he adds.
3. Kidney transplant: With kidney failure, regular dialysis may become difficult for both the patients and the staff. So, kidney transplant is the best option for such patients. But it is quite expensive. Only a few patients may afford it. Kidney transplant in India costs between 4 to 7 lakhs, in a private hospital in India.
Chronic kidney disease can be prevented. While nothing can be done about some factors like age, ethnicity or external injury to the kidneys, you can prevent a lot of other major risk factors leading to kidney disease. Also, minimizing stress on the kidneys right from the beginning can reduce your risk of developing CKD later in life. Here are 5 expert tips to keep your kidneys healthy
Dr Salin Jain offers some tips to prevent kidney disease:
If you are suffering from diabetes, checking your blood sugar levels at regular intervals isn't enough. You need to take care of quite a few other health aspects along with diabetes management. Our expert tells you what all you should do if you are suffering from this condition.
Swollen ankles are usually harmless. But, at times, it may indicate some serious health disorder. Read on to know more.
Polycystic kidney disease can be painful and cause severe complications. Now a new study has uncovered a previously unrecognised mechanism that may accelerate this condition.
In a study published in the Journal of the BMJ, it was identified that preterm and early term birth are strong risk factors for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) from childhood into mid-adulthood.
When your kidneys fail to perform their essential function of eliminating wastes and toxins from the body, you need to be very cautious about the dietary choices you make. Here, we guide you on the foods you need to include and exclude from your meals while battling renal failure and other kidney diseases.
A new study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has revealed that exposure to passive smoking may increase your risk of being sick with kidney disease.
The patients who took only PPIs were 28.4 times more likely to report chronic kidney disease, as well as acute kidney injury (4.2 times more likely), end-stage renal disease (35.5 times more likely) and unspecified kidney impairment (eight times more likely).
A recent study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has revealed that a pattern of higher collective consumption of sweetened fruit drinks, soda and water is linked to a higher likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease.
You should never go wrong with your eating habits, at least not when you have a chronic kidney disease (CKD). If you suffer from CKD, make sure you follow these diet tips.
Obesity can lead to kidney ailments too in kids. Know how to handle the condition.
Nitric oxide inhaled during a surgery can now decrease the risk of acute and chronic kidney problems.
Making patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) drink more water does not slow down the decline of their kidney function, suggests a recent research.
Benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are crucial.
Here are a few healthy lifestyle tips that can reduce and control the risk of developing kidney disease.
The findings showed that patients with evidence of kidney damage benefited most from surgical treatment, indicating that surgery prevents progression of pre-existing kidney injury towards renal failure.
Japanese scientists have found that an experimental obesity drug can potentially prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Dr Pradeep Gadge, a leading diabetologist, tells us why women should be more vigilant about the health of their kidneys.
Getting pregnant and starting a family are great experiences but may present challenges even for a normal healthy human being.
Swollen ankles are usually harmless. But, at times, it may indicate some serious health disorder. Read on to know more.
Polycystic kidney disease can be painful and cause severe complications. Now a new study has uncovered a previously unrecognised mechanism that may accelerate this condition.
In a study published in the Journal of the BMJ, it was identified that preterm and early term birth are strong risk factors for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) from childhood into mid-adulthood.
When your kidneys fail to perform their essential function of eliminating wastes and toxins from the body, you need to be very cautious about the dietary choices you make. Here, we guide you on the foods you need to include and exclude from your meals while battling renal failure and other kidney diseases.
A new study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has revealed that exposure to passive smoking may increase your risk of being sick with kidney disease.
The patients who took only PPIs were 28.4 times more likely to report chronic kidney disease, as well as acute kidney injury (4.2 times more likely), end-stage renal disease (35.5 times more likely) and unspecified kidney impairment (eight times more likely).
A recent study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has revealed that a pattern of higher collective consumption of sweetened fruit drinks, soda and water is linked to a higher likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease.
You should never go wrong with your eating habits, at least not when you have a chronic kidney disease (CKD). If you suffer from CKD, make sure you follow these diet tips.
Obesity can lead to kidney ailments too in kids. Know how to handle the condition.
Nitric oxide inhaled during a surgery can now decrease the risk of acute and chronic kidney problems.
Making patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) drink more water does not slow down the decline of their kidney function, suggests a recent research.
Benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are crucial.
Here are a few healthy lifestyle tips that can reduce and control the risk of developing kidney disease.
The findings showed that patients with evidence of kidney damage benefited most from surgical treatment, indicating that surgery prevents progression of pre-existing kidney injury towards renal failure.
Japanese scientists have found that an experimental obesity drug can potentially prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Dr Pradeep Gadge, a leading diabetologist, tells us why women should be more vigilant about the health of their kidneys.
Getting pregnant and starting a family are great experiences but may present challenges even for a normal healthy human being.
March 8th this year, coincidentally marks two important global campaigns International Women's Day and World Kidney Day.
Don’t Miss Out on the Latest Updates.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!
Refresh Page