like every year, the World Kidney Day was observed on the second Thursday of March in several countries.
Accordingly, the day was also observed in the city with the taking out of a rally along with a lecture on ‘know your kidney’ at the Jayadev Bhawan here under the auspices of KIMS, Indian Academy of Nephrology, Mother and Health Plus.
The theme for this year was Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Aging. With the growing elderly population in the world, kidney diseases and kidney failure has increased and become a matter of concern. According to a latest study, 40 per cent of the UK population has Chronic Kidney Disease after attaining the age of 50. In USA, over 50 per cent of patients undergoing dialysis are elderly. As age advances, the kidney filtration rate (toxins arising out of body metabolism) falls. Thus, elderly people are more vulnerable to kidney failure.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are commonly seen as the biggest causes of kidney failure. A study at AIIMS, New Delhi and KIMS, Bhubaneswar reveals that 75 per cent patients of kidney failure is caused by diabetes, of which 65 per cent have high blood pressure. Proteinuria is the earliest sign of kidney involvement in diabetes. Though it is simple and affordable to get the test, general practitioners and even many specialists often ignore the test as a result the kidney failure advances faster.
Unfortunately, doctors in general practice and even specialists do not recognize the underlying kidney failure at an early stage. They recognize it when at least 50 per cent of kidney function paralyses.
KIMS Director Prof Dr SC Dash has suggested that every diabetic and hypertensive patient must get his/her urine tested for Albunimuria and blood for Creatinine the day they are diagnosed diabetic and or hypertensive.
Besides, exposure to painkiller and Nephrotoxic antibiotics, chronic exposures to heavy metals through water they drink or in the industry they work may cause kidney failure.
There should be intensive awareness programmes on prevention of life style diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. A few people are aware of the fact that kidney failure at early stage makes the person five to six times more vulnerable for heart attack, added Dr Dash.