8 Golden Rules to Reduce the Risk of Chronic Kidney Diseases

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem with adverse outcomes of kidney failure and premature death. CKD affects approximately 195 million women worldwide and it is currently the 8th leading cause of death in women, with close to 600,000 deaths each year.

The term “chronic kidney disease” means lasting damage to the kidneys that can get worse over time. If the damage is very bad, your kidneys may stop working . This is called kidney failure, or end – stage renal disease (ESRD). If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant in order to live.

Anyone can get CKD. Some people are more at risk than others. Some things that increase your risk for CKD include:

• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure (hypertention)
• Hear disease
• Having a family member with kidney disease
• Being African – American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian
• Being over 60 years old

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Your health care provider will look at your health history and many do test to find out why you have kidney disease. The cause of your kidney disease may affect the type of treatment you receive.

Other causes of kidney disease include:

• Genetic disorder that causes many cysts to grow in the kidneys, polycystic kidney diseases (PKD)
• An infection
• A drug that is toxic to the kidneys
• A disease that affects the entire body, such as diabetes or lupus. Lupus nephritis is the medical name for kidney disease caused by lupus
• IgA glomerulonephritis
• Disorders in which the body’s immune system attacks its own cells and organs, such as goodpasture syndrome
• Heavy metal poisoning, such as Alport syndrome
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome in children
• Henoch-Schonlein purpura
• Renal artery stenosis

Kidney diseases are silent killers, which largly affects your quality of life there are however several ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney diseases.

1. KEEK FIT AND ACTIVE

Keeping fit helps to reduce your blood pressure and therefore reduces the risk of chronic kidney disease.

2. KEEP REGULAR CONTROL OF YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL

About half the people who have diabetes develop kidney damage, so it is important fo rpeople with diabetes to have regular tests to check their kidney functions.

3. MONITOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE

Although many may be aware that high blood sugar pressure can lead to a stroke or heart attack, only few know that it is also the most common cause of kidney damage.

4. EAT HEALTHY AND KEEP YOUR WEIGHT IN CHECK

This can help prevent diabetes, heart diseases and other conditions associated with chronic kidney disease.

5. MAINTAIN HEALTHY FLUID INTAKE

Although clinical studies have not reached an agreement on the ideal quantity of water and other fluids we should consume daily. Traditional wisdom has long suggested drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day.

6. DO NOT SMOKE

Smoking slows the flow of blood to the kidneys. When less blood reaches the kidneys, it impairs their ability to function properly. Smoking also increases the risk of kidney cancer by about 50 percent.

7. DO NOT TAKE OVER-THE-COUNTER PILLS ON A REGULAR BASIS

Common drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are known to cause kidney damage if taken regularly.

8. GET YOUR KIDNEY FUNCTION CHECKED IF YOU HAVE ONE OR MORE OF THE ‘HIGH RISK’ FACTORS

It is essential to get your kidney checked periodically, this can avert forthcoming dangers and help you keep a healthy kidney.

PREVENTING CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

With an increased life expectancy and improved lifestyle, noncommunicable diseases are now taking larger toll on human lives. Hypertension and diabetes take the highest rank, competing with each other. A consequence of this alarming rise in kidney diseases  whose most common cause remains hypertension and diabetes. The Global Burden of Disease in 2017 ranks CKD as the 8th leading cause of death worldwide.

Almost one in every ten individuals is said to suffer from kidney disease. The western world sees older people suffering from CKD, but worldwide it is a common trend to see a younger, working class of people as paitents of CKD.

The need of the hour is awareness and prevention. Timely diagnosis and management of CKD not only retards the progress but might also prevent it. The cost factor and the renal transplants is not only a burden to the family of the patient but also to the country as a whole. It is imperitive that people are eductaed about preventive meassures to keep CKD in check. Broadcasting modalities must enlighten people about healthy lifestyles, awareness about diabetes, hypertension, and their symptoms and promote regular health checkups among the people from rural backgrounds as well as urban centers.

All diabetic and hypertensive patients, at the time of their diagnosis, must be informed about teh gravity of their situation and the need for taking strict measures to keep their boold sugar and blood pressure under control at all times. They are to be educated with the consequences of their disorder, mainly kidney diseases and the symptoms and signs it usually presents with advice to receive immediate treatment for it.

CKD as of now offers a dismal picture to the world’s disease burden. A proper awareness program reaching the masses and adequate and timely diagnosis and management can make CKD highly preventable disease.

 

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