Two simple tests – a blood test that measures the creatinine level to check how well the kidneys filter waste and excess fluids from blood and a urine test to check protein leakage – could go a long way in the early detection of kidney diseases, Sakthi Selvakumar, Consultant Nephrologist, Kauvery Hospital Cantonment, Tiruchi, said during a webinar on Kidney Care: Awareness and Prevention.
“One out of 10 persons worldwide may have chronic kidney disease, and 90% of those who have it would not even know about it,” Dr. Selvakumar said while speaking about early warning signs of kidney diseases. A person, he said, could lose up to 90% of the kidney function before experiencing noticeable symptoms, which was a major cause for late diagnosis.
People should be aware of personal risks (co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, or family history), and prioritise consumption of home-cooked food, 150 minutes of body movement per week, and timely testing, Dr. Selvakumar added.
The webinar was jointly organised by Kauvery Hospital and The Hindu to mark World Kidney Day, which falls on March 12.
Explaining the progress of chronic kidney disease through five stages, K. Abirami, Senior Consultant and Head of Nephrology, Kauvery Hospital, Salem, said that with treatment and lifestyle changes, the progress of the disease in stages 1 to 4 could be slowed down. In the renal failure stage, haemodialysis could keep people alive “for years or decades with proper care, diet, and management of co-morbidities, particularly diabetes and hypertension”.
