The World Kidney Day Joint Steering Committee has declared 2022 as the year of ‘Kidney Health for All.’
What is chronic kidney disease?
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is when the kidneys stop working as they should be. When the kidneys work normally, it filters the blood and removes waste and excess salt and water.
In people with CKD, the kidneys slowly lose the ability to filter the blood, removal of waste products and extra water from body.
What are the symptoms of CKD?
At first, CKD causes no symptoms in early stages. As the disease gets worse, it can:
• Make your feet, ankles or legs swell
• Give you high blood pressure
• Make you very tired, Low Haemoglobin level
• Damage your bones
How to protect kidneys from getting worse if someone has CKD?
Yes, you can protect your kidneys by:
• Controlling blood pressure; Taking blood pressure and other medicines every day on prescriptions from your doctor
• Keeping your blood sugar in a strict control, if you have diabetes
• Changing your diet, if your doctor says you should
• Quitting smoking, if you smoke
• Losing weight, if you are overweight
• Avoiding medicines which are ‘non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs,’ or NSAIDs pain killers. Check with your doctor or kidney specialist before starting any new medicines – even over-the-counter ones.
What are the treatments for CKD?
People in the early stages of CKD can take medicines to keep the disease from getting worse.
What happens if kidneys stop working completely?
If your kidneys stop working completely, you can choose between 3 different treatments to take over the job of your kidneys. Your choices are:
• You can have kidney transplant surgery which is the best available option. That way, the new kidney can do the job of your own kidneys. If you have a kidney transplant, you will need to take medicines for the rest of your life to keep your body from reacting badly to the new kidney. You only need one kidney to live.
• You can have your blood filtered by a machine. This treatment is called ‘hemodialysis,’ but many people call it just ‘dialysis.’ If you choose this approach, you will need to be hooked up to the machine at least 3 times a week for a few hours for the rest of your life. Before you start, you will also need to have surgery to prepare a blood vessel for attachment to the machine called A-V fistula.
• You can learn to use a special fluid that has to be piped in and out of your abdomen every day. This treatment is called ‘peritoneal dialysis.’ If you choose this type of dialysis, you will need surgery to have a tube implanted in your belly. Then you will have to learn how to pipe the fluid in and out through that tube.
How do I choose between the different treatment options?
You and your doctor will need to work together to find a treatment which is right for you. Kidney transplant surgery is usually the best option for most people.
