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March 08, 2010 15:40 PM

Protect Your Kidneys - Control Diabetes

By Nor Soraya Jamal

PETALING JAYA, March 8 (Bernama) -- Approximately one in 10 adults worldwide suffer from some form of kidney damage and every year millions die as a result of kidney failure caused by diabetes.

Kidney failure is the final stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), a serious condition where the kidneys could no longer rid the body of wastes.

CKD is present when individuals have an increase in the excretion of albumin in the urine or a major decrease in kidney function.

In Malaysia more than 3,500 people develop end stage renal failure every year, giving rise to the number of patients requiring dialysis.

According to the president of Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN) Dr Philip N. Jeremiah, CKD affects about eight to 10 per cent of the population and currently the number of patients requiring dialysis in Malaysia is growing by 5 to 7 per cent annually.

This is partially caused by the rise of diabetes and hypertension, which increases the risk for kidney disease.

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

According to the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) the common causes of CKD include inflammatory diseases of the kidney caused by infections, obstruction in the urinary tract and inherited disorders like polycystic kidney disease.

In both developed and developing nations, diabetes and hypertension are increasingly the most common causes of CKD especially in older people.

Even when diabetes is controlled, the disease can lead to CKD and kidney failure.

In fact, 55 per cent of advanced kidney failure is due to diabetes and if not detected and treated effectively can lead to kidney failure and death.

People with kidney failure undergo either an artificial blood cleaning process (dialysis) or transplantation to receive a healthy kidney from a donor.

However, due to challenges in obtaining a new kidney for transplant, majority of kidneys patients opt for haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

EARLY DETECTION IS CRUCIAL

Early detection is crucial as this can delay the progression of kidney disease and its related complications, stressed the chairman of the NKF board of managers Datuk Dr Zaki Morad Mohd Zaher.

Currently, Malaysia has 20,000 dialysis patients and looking at the high cost of dialysis the government subsidises the cost for the needy patients.

In Malaysia, 55 per cent of all new dialysis patients are diabetic and dialysis outcome are generally poorer in patients with diabetes.

Unfortunately, diabetes, in particular Type 2 diabetes, may go undetected for many years.

During this time, uncontrolled blood sugar levels may cause damage to tissues and organs such as the blood vessels, eyes and kidneys.

Kidney disease develops slowly and the symptoms only appear at a late stage.

With early detection, the individual can be treated early and the deterioration prevented or arrested at an early date. This can prevent or delay the need for dialysis.

Hence, an important measure for the prevention of diabetes-related diseases is to encourage all Malaysians at risk of diabetes to undergo simple health screening tests such as urine and blood tests.

WORLD KIDNEY DAY

Dr Zaki said although the NKF has 23 dialysis centres nationwide, it no longer focused on dialysis alone as public education plays a major role in increasing awareness on the early detection and prevention of kidney disease.

Furthermore, patients also need to be educated on the treatment options available to them to help them make informed decisions as to their treatment plan based on their condition and lifestyle, he said.

This is why the main aim of the World Kidney Day (WKD) this year is to promote the importance of early detection and prevention of kidney disease and to prompt Malaysians to check themselves for kidney disease through simple health screening.

The WKD 2010 commemorated on 11 March will be celebrated for the fifth year in more than 100 countries around the globe.

WKD is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of kidneys and calls people to check if they are at risk of kidney disease.

In Malaysia, the NKF in partnership with the MSN and the Ministry of Health has planned a series of event and activities.

The theme for WKD 2010 is "Protect Your Kidneys - Control Diabetes". This is a wake up call for all, as diabetes represents the leading cause of CKD worldwide.

HEALTH SCREENING

This year, the campaign hopes to raise awareness on the importance of controlling diabetes to prevent CKD.

"One of the direct causes of diabetes is unhealthy lifestyle and poor eating habits. Our aim is to educate and inform the public to take the first step in changing their lifestyle and eating habits.

"We believe health screening provides a wake up call to all Malaysians on WKD 2010 to take the first step to check on the state of their health," said Dr Zaki when met after the press conference for the World Kidney Day 2010.

The NKF LifeCheck Mobile Health Screening Unit, a 40-seater customised bus with seven workstations, will be mobilised to embark on a campaign road show and free health screening for members of the public in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.

To date, NKF have screened 62,000 members of the public and more than 10 per cent have shown abnormalities in their blood and urine samples taken during the screening.

The newly appointed NKF ambassador, celebrity Chef, Datuk Chef Wan will also participate in the campaign by conducting cooking demonstration to bring home the message regarding healthy eating habits.

Many major hospitals nationwide will be conducting various activities in conjunction with WKD. These include poster exhibitions, health screening and public forums.

Members of the public who are interested to obtain more information on the NKF and WKD 2010 activities can contact the NKF hotline at 1300-88-3110 or log on to www.nkf.org.my.

-- BERNAMA

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