Chronic Kidney Disease - What you Should Know
Chronic Kidney Disease
Every year in the UK , 13,000 people die from problems related to kidney disease. Around 3 million people suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD. CKD is difficult to detect early, as sufferers often display no symptoms, although people with high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes and certain ethnic groups have a higher risk. Early detection however can have a significant impact on patient outcomes because blood pressure treatment and changes in lifestyle can slow down the progression of the disease thus delaying the need for dialysis or transplantation.
CKD means different things to different people. For some it is progressive but for others it remains stable. In the early stages symptoms of CKD may just be the sign of a tendency to related diseases such as stroke and heart attack, but at the other end of the spectrum, dialysis and even transplantation may be required. However, CKD is also treatable and there are many things that people with CKD can do to maximise the quality and length of their life. You can keep your kidneys as healthy as possible for as long as possible though paying attention to food, drink and general lifestyle.
What Do Your Kidneys Do?
Most people have two kidneys. Blood flows to the kidneys from the heart and away from the kidneys through veins. Every minute of every day your kidneys are working to clean the blood - processing around 200 litres of fluid every 24 hours. The main job of the kidneys is to filter the blood and get rid of any toxins. They also hold on to good things that your body needs as well as balancing water and salts such as sodium and potassium which occur naturally in our bodies and in what we eat and drink. Anything that our bodies don't need is passed out of the body in the form of urine. The kidneys also produce things that we need - Vitamin D which helps strong muscle and bones and two hormones which assist in keeping blood pressure under control and promoting healthy bone marrow.
Causes of CKD
CKD is how any loss of kidney function is described. The causes are many and varied and include:
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Genetic conditions and a family history of kidney disease
• Smoking
By far the commonest cause is Diabetes and type 2 Diabetes (adult onset) is increasingly significantly - hence the prevalence of CKD is expected to increase. CKD is also associated with other risk factors including obesity, which contributes to type 2 Diabetes, and ageing, both of which are increasing in the general population.
However, its important to remember that the vast majority of people don't progress to End Stage Renal Failure (ESRF) but remain stable, but with an increased risk of associated cardio vascular conditions such as heart attack and stroke.
High Risk Groups
Black African Caribbeans and South Asian groups are up to 5 times more likely to be at risk of CKD and, given that there are often no symptoms, it is very important that anyone in a high risk group identifies whether they have CKD as early diagnosis can have a significant effect on outcomes.
In the early stages there may be an increase in the amount of urine that is passed, particularly at night and sufferers may experience tiredness, loss of appetite or shortness of breath. However, often people don't know that there is anything wrong with them and may not experience any symptoms until the CKD is quite advanced.
Even though CKD may not be noticed by people affected, it is possible, through a simple test, for a doctor to detect the disease. Early detection can have a significant impact on patient outcomes because there are lifestyle changes and treatments that can slow down the progression of the disease, delaying the need for dialysis or transplantation.
Free Kidney Screening Programme
CKD can be easily diagnosed through a few simple tests. Kidney Research UK, together with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and Barts and the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, is running a series of free Community Screening Days, specifically for Black Africans and Caribbeans, South Asians and people who have a close relative with kidney disease. The sessions will take place at the both the Aston Pride Community Health Centre, Aston, Birmingham and at the Royal London Hospital every Saturday between February 28 th and April 4 th . All participants must be aged 18 years or over.
People wishing to be screened can walk in without an appointment to any of the Aston Pride sessions which will run on Saturdays. Appointments for the Royal London can be made by calling 0207 377 7236. Further information can be obtained by calling the Kidney Health Information Line on 0845 300 1499. At the appointment, they will have their height, weight and blood pressure checked, and will be asked to give blood and urine samples.
Dr. Dwomoa Adu , the principal investigator for the screening programme, comments: “Kidney disease is a silent killer and can cause a lot of suffering to individuals if left undiagnosed. If we can find sufferers in the early stages, we can manage the condition and avoid the need for dialysis and even transplantation. The way to do this is through the targeted screening of high-risk groups. That way we can identify people with CKD, before they reach a critical stage and help them to manage the condition with medication and lifestyle changes. This is the right thing to do for both the patient and the NHS.”
Positive Outlook
Early detection is critical, particularly in high risk groups. Anyone who has been told by their doctor that they have some form of kidney disease can with the support of their doctor and family look forward to a positive outlook. Treatments and changes in lifestyle can slow down the progression of the disease and lead to a better quality of life.
