Nephrologists see that it is the lifestyle disorders which increase the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Key risk factors for this disease include hypertension, obesity, late diagnosis, smoking, alcoholism, high intake of salt and the use of over-the-counter (OTC) pain killers.
Even as nephrologists battle with patient survival, a University of Waterloo researcher spearheaded the development of the first computational model of the human kidney. The new model will allow scientists to gain better insights into how new drugs that target the kidney, such as diabetes medication, may work. It will also enable researchers to better learn about the functions of the kidney, including how the organ regulates the body's salt, potassium and acid content without having to employ invasive procedure on a patient.
While this finding will take time to be commercialised, nephrologists see diabetes is driving the rising incidence of kidney disease in Karnataka, with CKD afflicting 10% of the state’s population.
According to Dr. Satish Kumar MM, Sr Consultant Nephrologist & Transplant Physician, Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru, “Karnataka has one of the highest incidence of diabetes in India, and upto 30 per cent of diabetics develop CKD. Kidney diseases affect 850 million people worldwide and CKD is the 11th leading cause of fatality with 2.5 million succumbing to it annually. People with lower economic status bear the greatest burden of kidney failure. In many settings, kidney disease treatment is inaccessible due to lack of specialized health care professionals.”
On the occasion of the World Kidney Day observed annually on March 14, the theme this year is Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere.
Wrong dietary choices, stress, and improper lifestyle habits make it difficult for the already overburdened excretory system to remove toxins efficiently. Kidney stone, renal failure, blood in urine, protein in urine, high urea levels and several other problems are outcomes of toxin accumulation in the kidneys. There are several effective herbs which can not only strengthen and rejuvenate the renal system, these can also treat kidney problems, said Dr. Partap Chauhan, director, Jiva Ayurveda.
Even as prevention and early detection is being advocated by healthcare majors, Dr Mohan Keshavamurthy, director- urology, uro oncology, andrology, transplant & robotic surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, said that there is also a need for specialized uro-nephro facility with the ability to perform kidney transplant in remote areas. The availability of appropriate treatment and care at the doorstep in the middle of Hyderabad-Karnataka region catering to 15 million citizens which was hitherto unavailable, now helps patients to get back to productive life at minimal distance. Instead of travelling to metro cities for medical treatment, Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore along with Chirayu Hospital conducted first ever kidney transplant in Kalaburagi, part of Hyderabad-Karnataka border.
Most people consume daily around 9,000-12,000 mg of salt, almost twice the amount recommended by the WHO. Unhealthy kidneys are not able to eliminate excess sodium and fluid from the body. In addition, sodium is linked to high blood pressure that can cause even more damage to ailing kidneys, said Dr. Prashant Dheerendra, nephrologist, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghata Road.
CKD can strike at any age. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes. SEEK (Screening and Early Evaluation of Kidney Disease), a US-India initiative to track CKD in India, estimates that 17.2% India’s population has CKD, said Dr Anil Kumar BT, senior consultant, nephrologist and transplant physician, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospital, Bengaluru. |