As World Kidney Day is being observed on Thursday with the theme ‘Make Kidney Health Accessible for Everyone’, a nephrologist here has claimed that over 50% of patients with defective kidneys in the State are found to have high blood sugar.
M.V. Biju, nephrologist attached to the Kozhikode District Cooperative Hospital, told journalists on Wednesday that most of the kidney patients were found to be aged above 40. “High blood pressure and diabetes are the most common reasons for kidney problems. Often there is a delay in diagnosing diabetes among patients, which aggravates the condition of their kidneys,” he pointed out. Among every three diabetic patients, one stand a chance of kidney failure.
Dr. Biju said that those with frequent urinal infection also had a high chance of developing kidney problems. If some of the family members had a history of the disease, they too should be careful. “These people should frequently consult doctors to check the presence of protein in their urine and toxin in their blood,” he said. Those without high blood pressure or diabetes should consult a nephrologist if they develop breathing problems during heavy tasks, have a lack of appetite, swelling in ankles, pain during urination, blood in urine or foamy urine.
Quoting a report published in Lancet magazine, Dr. Biju said that the number of deaths due to failures had doubled in India in less than a decade. Around 19% of the total number of such deaths were being reported from here, he added.
Meanwhile, the Snehasparsham initiative of the Kozhikode district panchayat is organising a free kidney disease detection camp at the mofussil bus stand between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday. An awareness jatha is also being taken out at 10 a.m. from the premises of Crown theatre, said a release.
