Preventive Strategies for Chronic Kidney Disease: The Need for Urgent Action

Introduction

The incidence of kidney disease has been steadily rising. According to studies, young people are being affected more than ever, which raises a huge concern among global kidney communities. In our efforts to take corrective steps to check the prevalence of the disease, KWF decided to focus work around ‘Preventive Measures’ in 2021. We conducted a Patient Advocacy Webinar on high salt, sugar, and fat content in Ultra Processed Foods.

Exploring New Approaches

In March 2023, we explored a new approach to address this mammoth disease that has shaken many homes with a CKD patient. The country needs to plan better to handle this public health concern, and the world needs to respond to the ‘call of the hour’.

Why Are Preventive Measures Growing in Significance?


We gathered alarming information from authentic research studies, and together with our personal experiences with CKD, we worked with best-considered decisions.

Statistics Highlighting the Concern

Chronic Kidney Disease Data:
“CKD is increasing in prevalence – and at an alarming rate. CKD deaths increased by 41.5% from 1990 to 2020, rising from the 17th leading cause of death to the 10th. Now, it is expected that CKD will climb to the fifth leading cause of death globally by the year 2040.”
Source: https://ncdalliance.org/why-ncds/ncds/chronic-kidney-disease

Hypertension:

Of the estimated 220 million people in India living with hypertension, only 12% have their blood pressure under control.
Source: https://www.who.int/india/news/detail/02-06-2022-india-hypertension-control-initiative–a-high-impact-and-low-cost-solution

Diabetes:

The burden of diabetes is high and increasing globally, and in developing economies like India, is mainly fueled by the increasing prevalence of obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. The available data in 2019 showed that 77 million individuals had diabetes in India, which is estimated to rise to over 134 million by 2045.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8725109/

Initiatives for Prevention of CKD

Screening for Prevention:

Recognizing the need, we planned a “CME” – Continuing Medical Education for knowledge sharing and developing strategies to stop the spread of CKD through timely intervention. This CME will involve diabetologists, cardiologists, ophthalmologists, general physicians, and gynecologists to be part of the convention. The conference will highlight signs, symptoms for chronic kidney disease that emerge from hypertension, diabetes, eyesight issues, different stages of pregnancy, and understand acute kidney disease due to protein supplements, excessive drugs, and strong medications.

Screening for Checking if People Are “At Risk”:

• Blood pressure
• Blood sugar
• Urine dipstick to check the presence of protein

Specific Areas of Focus while engaging with people in the diabetic and hypertension community to understand if they are at risk:

• Awareness of family history of hypertension/diabetes
• “Know your numbers” for blood pressure and blood sugar
• How well are the parameters managed?
• Early attention through medical intervention for kidney function tests, protein in urine, and scans
• Compulsory annual testing

Tests Suggested for Monitoring Health & Protecting Against CKD:


• Blood Pressure
• HbA1c test – a simple blood test that measures average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months
• Urine test for protein and sugar levels
• Kidney Function tests – every 6 months for people with high BP and blood sugar levels

Conclusion

Fostering proactive healthcare decisions through awareness, regular screening, and preventive measures remains essential to tackling the global rise of Chronic Kidney Disease.