Source - http://www.worldkidneyday.org/
(Visit the site for more details)
WKD is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF) and is held every second Thursday in March.
World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).
It was launched for the first time in 2006 and it is held the second Thursday of March. On 8 March 2007, World Kidney Day was celebrated in 66 countries. The next World Kidney Day will be 13 March 2008.<object
The purpose of World Kidney Day is to raise awareness about the importance of our kidneys – an amazing organ that plays a crucial role in keeping us alive and well – and to spread the message that kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.
The main job of our kidneys (which are roughly the size of two fists and are located deep in our abdomen, beneath our rib cage) is to remove toxins and excess water from our blood. Every day our kidneys filter and clean 200 liters of blood – a quantity that would fill about 200 bottles or 20 buckets! Besides this impressive, daily feat, kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and to keep our bones healthy.
If our kidneys gradually lose their ability to function, we speak of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is a “silent” disease and often goes unnoticed because it may not be “felt”. Yet it affects many more people than we would ever imagine: studies of different races living on different continents worldwide have consistently shown that about 1 out of 10 adults has some form of kidney damage.
People with chronic kidney disease are 10 times more likely than healthy individuals to die of heart attacks and strokes. The health of their kidneys may also progressively worsen to the point where the kidneys must be replaced (this is called "end-stage renal disease"). Either patients receive a new, transplanted kidney or they are kept alive with “dialysis” – usually by a machine which cleans their blood about three times a week.
Fortunately, we can detect chronic kidney disease early on, and detection is easy. Simple, routine tests of our urine, blood and blood pressure can show early signs of kidney problems. And the good news is that once we know these problems, we can slow down and even stop chronic kidney disease, by taking medicines and changing some of our living habits.
Early detection and treatment of CKD can not only slow or halt the progression of patients to end-state renal disease, but it can also significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, which are today by far the most common cause of premature deaths worldwide.
1. What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?
- FACT: CKD is present when individuals have an increase in excretion of albumin in the urine or a major decrease in kidney function or glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This may lead to complications such as high blood pressure, anaemia, and heart and blood vessel disease.
2. How common is chronic kidney disease?
- FACT: More than 500 million persons worldwide - 10% of the adult population - have some form of kidney damage, and every year millions die prematurely of cardiovascular diseases linked to CKD.
3. What causes chronic kidney disease?
- FACT: Globally the most common causes of CKD have been nephrotic or inflammatory diseases of the kidney, infections, obstruction in the urinary tract and inherited disorders like polycystic kidney disease. This is changing in both developed and developing nations towards diabetes and hypertension, which are also the most common causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
4. How is chronic kidney disease detected?
- FACT: Simple laboratory tests are done on small samples of blood and urine to measure creatinine content and calculated GFR and albumin excretion.
5. What are the consequences of undetected chronic kidney disease?
- FACT: The first consequence is the risk of developing progressive loss of kidney function leading to kidney failure and the need for dialysis or transplantation. The second is premature death from associated cardiovascular disease.
- FACT: Individuals who appear to be healthy who are then found to have CKD have at least a tenfold risk of dying prematurely from CVD (coronary disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, and heart failure) regardless of whether they develop kidney failure. CKD contributes towards morbidity from CVD in over 12 million individuals worldwide each year. These numbers are rapidly rising due to the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes.
6. What are the costs and consequences to society of the growing epidemic of CKD?
- FACT: The costs of kidney failure (end-stage renal disease) are escalating. Worldwide, over 1.5 million people are currently kept alive through either hemo or peritoneal dialysis or transplantation, this number is forecasted to double within the next 10 years. The cumulative global cost for dialysis and transplantation over the next decade is predicted to exceed US$ 1 trillion. This economic burden could strain healthcare budgets in developed countries. For lower income countries it is impossible to meet such costs.
- FACT: More than 80% of individuals receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) live in the developed world because in developing countries it is largely unaffordable. In countries such as India and Pakistan less than 10% of all patients who need it receive any kind of renal replacement therapy. In many African countries there is little or no access to RRT, meaning many people simply die.
- FACT: The economic burden for developing countries is particularly severe, partly because CKD generally occurs at a younger age. For example, in Guatemala, 40% of patients on RRT are under 40. In China, the economy will lose US$558 billion over the next decade due to effects on death and disability attributable to chronic cardiovascular and renal disease.
7. What can be done to detect, prevent and treat chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease?
Detection
- FACT: Simple tests are now available for serum creatinine, calculated GFR and urine albumin that allow early detection of CKD.
- FACT: The majority of individuals with early stages of CKD go undiagnosed, particularly in the developing world. The early detection of kidney impairment is essential and allows suitable treatment before kidney damage or deterioration manifests itself through other complications.
Prevention and delay
- FACT: Screening must be high priority in subjects considered to be at high risk of kidney disease, namely:
- Patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
- Individuals who are obese or smoke.
- Individuals over 50 years of age.
- Individuals with a family history diabetes mellitus, hypertension and kidney disease.
- Patients with a presence of other kidney diseases.
- FACT: Current kidney protective treatments should now be extended to those with early stages of renal failure.
- FACT: Key preventative measures have been defined and proven successful in protecting against both renal and cardiovascular disease, such as:
- ACEs/ARBs for proteinuria and decreased GFR.
- Reduction of high blood pressure -the lower the blood pressure, the lower the GFR decline.
- Control of glucose, blood lipids and anemia.
- Smoking cessation.
- Increased physical activity.
- Control of body weight.
Treatment
- FACT: Clinical research over the last decade has shown the potential of blockade of the renin-angiotensin system by ACEs and ARBs to reduce the burden of disease from CVD, diabetes, hypertension and CKD significantly and at relatively low cost. ACE inhibitors are effective in preventing progressive renal function decline. Angiotensin-II-antagonists lower albuminuria and prevent progressive renal failure.
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yashasvi sir,
Thanks for the comment and for recommending this blog.
Regards,
Prasad.
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Sampath Sir,
One of my close friends has undergone the kidney transplantation. The problems he is facing in his day to day life induced me to write (post) this.
His grand father was having this problem, and it was transferred to my friend due to genetic issues.
My friend has lost his younger brother due to the same and he is the only hope of his parents. This issue bothered me a lot.
Dear all, please take care of your kidneys.
Regards,
Prasad
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it so happens
that i was in for a renal check up on the same day
of world kideny day..
i was in mnipal hsopital and they were celibrating..
the facts that you have mentioned are to be take seriously...
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Hi Sir,
very informative and educative one
thanks for sharing this one
yashasvi
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Kala mam,
Naan late aa vanthaalum
neenga latest aa comment pottingannu sonnaen....
Thanks & Reagrds,
Prasad
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Hi prasad
Naan lateaaa varaliye
Iam fine blogging
Thanks
keep writing whenever you can
best wishes
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Kala mam,
Thanks for the comments. Hope you are doing well. I did not even expected an immediate comment from you. because, i am not blogging regularly.
Late aa vanthaalum latest aa comment pottathukku thanks.
Regards,
Prasad
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Hi Prasad......Very informative and useful post ....lateaaaa vandaaaalum latestaaaa irukku
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