Why we need to pay more attention to the kidneys

Nephrologist in Delhi warns of a growing number of cases of chronic kidney disease, a condition that undermines health and quality of life.

In the last two decades, India has seen the number of people with chronic kidney disease triple. Today more than 1,200,000 citizens are on dialysis in the country and it is estimated that at least 40,000 of them die each year. The alarming Indian statistics do not differ from the rest of the world. An estimated 850 million people worldwide suffer from kidney disease - 2.4 million deaths a year, making kidney disease the 11th leading cause of death worldwide.

In the face of this epidemic, the best nephrologist in Delhi has been trying to draw the attention of the population to this vital and often overlooked pair of organs. In addition to removing waste and extra fluids from the blood, the kidneys have the task of controlling the body's chemical balance, helping to balance blood pressure, maintaining healthy bones and producing the erythropoietin hormone necessary to maintain red blood cell levels and prevent anemia.

The great challenge of kidney disease is that in its early stages it is asymptomatic. A person can lose 90% of the functions of these organs without feeling anything. Only at an advanced stage do some signs usually appear, such as swelling, fatigue, decreased appetite, hiccups, reduced urine volume, among others, says kidney specialist in Delhi.

We talk about a problem that, strictly speaking, has no cure, which causes patients to need care for a lifetime. Although the quality of treatment has come a long way in recent years, quality, individualized dialysis is not yet accessible to those in need, just as not everyone can get a kidney transplant in Delhi.

As the prevalence of kidney disease is drastically increasing, the cost of treating this growing epidemic carries a huge burden on healthcare systems around the world. In Indian, the amount spent on treating the condition already outweighs the cost of breast, lung, colon, and skin cancers combined.

The best strategy for cost reduction and patient harm is prevention. The warning is for countries to invest more in this regard and make kidney disease screening primary health care, including access to blood (creatinine) and urine (EAS) tests. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent or delay kidney disease from progressing to more severe stages requiring dialysis or transplantation.

People with hypertension and diabetes should pay special attention, as these problems are the main causes of kidney disease today. Therefore, protecting yourself from them and maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle is also a way of taking good care of the kidneys, says nephrologist in Gurgaon.