World Kidney Day 2017: 5 Ways obesity damages your kidneys beyond repair
Obesity just doesn't make you prone to diabetes or hit your heart and liver, it makes your kidneys weak and sick.
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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:
Obesity just doesn't make you prone to diabetes or hit your heart and liver, it makes your kidneys weak and sick.
If you have acute kidney disease, it can be treated or cured but if you have chronic kidney disease, read to know what can be done!
Kidney diseases and obesity have become a major health concern with rapid increase in cases along with cancer and cardiac diseases.
The number of Indians suffering from chronic kidney ailments has doubled in the past 15 years, and at present 17 in every hundred citizens suffer from some form of kidney disease, health experts have said.
Establishing a novel link between chronic kidney disease and diabetes, a team of researchers have identified molecular mechanisms that may be responsible for the increased blood glucose levels in such patients, a study has revealed.
A stringent blood pressure control regime may reduce the potential risk of early death among individuals suffering with chronic kidney disease, revealed a study.
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Love to binge on red meat? Be careful, an excess intake of red meat may increase the risk of kidney failure, warns a study.
A deficiency in the amount of vitamin D in the body may lead to high risk of chronic kidney diseases, especially in children, says a new study.
Increased accumulation of gut bacterial metabolite in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) may raise the risk of heart disease and premature death, says a study.
Rising temperatures worldwide can take a severe toll on your kidneys due to dehydration and heat stress.
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All you need to know about reading your kidney function test report.
Several Indian population-based studies in the past have estimated the incidence of End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) at 150-230 per million.
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High coronary artery calcium score -- a measure of arterial ageing -- puts people at greater risk not only for heart and vascular disease but also for non-cardiovascular diseases such as cancer, chronic kidney disease and lung diseases, says a study.
The number of Indians suffering from kidney failures has doubled in the last 15 years with a rise of 10 percent in the number of citizens undergoing dialysis due to chronic kidney diseases (CKD), health experts have said.
If you have acute kidney disease, it can be treated or cured but if you have chronic kidney disease, read to know what can be done!
Kidney diseases and obesity have become a major health concern with rapid increase in cases along with cancer and cardiac diseases.
The number of Indians suffering from chronic kidney ailments has doubled in the past 15 years, and at present 17 in every hundred citizens suffer from some form of kidney disease, health experts have said.
Establishing a novel link between chronic kidney disease and diabetes, a team of researchers have identified molecular mechanisms that may be responsible for the increased blood glucose levels in such patients, a study has revealed.
A stringent blood pressure control regime may reduce the potential risk of early death among individuals suffering with chronic kidney disease, revealed a study.
Suffering from a burning sensation in your feet? Here's what you need to know.
Prematurely born kids can have risk of kidney diseases.
Love to binge on red meat? Be careful, an excess intake of red meat may increase the risk of kidney failure, warns a study.
A deficiency in the amount of vitamin D in the body may lead to high risk of chronic kidney diseases, especially in children, says a new study.
Increased accumulation of gut bacterial metabolite in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) may raise the risk of heart disease and premature death, says a study.
Rising temperatures worldwide can take a severe toll on your kidneys due to dehydration and heat stress.
Did you know tobacco can make you prone to kidney cancer and other such facts.
All you need to know about reading your kidney function test report.
Several Indian population-based studies in the past have estimated the incidence of End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) at 150-230 per million.
Summer means coconut water! But can you enjoy this refreshing drink if you are a diabetic?
High coronary artery calcium score -- a measure of arterial ageing -- puts people at greater risk not only for heart and vascular disease but also for non-cardiovascular diseases such as cancer, chronic kidney disease and lung diseases, says a study.
The number of Indians suffering from kidney failures has doubled in the last 15 years with a rise of 10 percent in the number of citizens undergoing dialysis due to chronic kidney diseases (CKD), health experts have said.
Founded in 2006, World Kidney Day is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of health problems associated with them worldwide.
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