Renal diseases are on the rise

According to Dr. Wanigasuriya, renal diseases are on the rise, not only in Sri Lanka, but also globally, and is one of the major health problems.

She says that renal failure have been divided into two categories - acute and chronic. Acute renal failure is due to certain diseases such as leptospirosis or snake bite, where the patient's kidney stops to function for a short period of time.

"Here, kidney function resumes and until such time you need to give support for the kidney through a dialysis machine. But the major problem is due to chronic renal failure where the kidney ceases to function altogether and the patients need dialysis until they undergo kidney transplantation for their survival", Dr. Wanigasuriya says in an interview with the HealthTrack.

Here are the excerpts of the interview:

What is kidney failure?

Kidney is the organ that purifies the blood and is responsible for filtering blood, removing waste and making urine to keep the body's water and salt balance in check. When the kidney stops functioning this process can not go on.

What is the role of the dialysis machine ?

When the patient's kidney ceases to function, the machine will play the role of kidneys. The machine will take in the blood and send it through an artificial kidney, which purifies the blood, and send it back to the patient.

How often a person needs to be dialysed ?

Mahesh is waiting for a donor and until such time we are keeping him alive with the help of the dialysis machine. When a patient goes to end stage renal disease that patient needs about three dialysis and minimum two dialysis per week to save his life. So he will have to have it until he gets the transplant or for his life time.

It may be for a week or two and until the patients kidney functions recover. A kidney patient due to leptrosis undergo dialysis on every other day until his or her kidneys come back to normal. And most probably will continue for a week. One dialysis is for four hours.

What are the major causes for kidney failure ?

We do not know the exact cause of the disease. But we believe it is something like chronic inflammation of the kidney, which has been going on for sometime. Unfortunately, the patient does not know what is happening and the disease will be a hidden ailment for years only.

When the kidney functions are severely affected, they come to us. By this time the patient needs immediate dialysis to save his life.

Diabetes and hypertension are the major causes. So it is very important to prevent these diseases and our main concern is the prevention of chronic kidney diseases.

How to take care of one's kidneys ?

The most important thing is the prevention. Therefore people should be aware about the diseases that finally give rise to chronic kidney diseases.

What are the symptoms of renal failure?

* Swelling of the legs

* Pressure

* Swelling of eyes in the morning.

* Anaemia

* Lethargy

* Loss of appetite.

The most important thing is to go to a doctor and do very simple tests - urine and blood tests. The other important thing to remember is to identify the symptoms early and treat them early to prevent the disease progressing to the chronic stage.

Can urine infections cause kidney failure ?

Not in adults but in children. If small children get recurrent urine infections that may be a warning sign of a kidney failure. This usually happens due to some problems in the development of kidneys or anatomy of the kidney. So paediatrician should take care of these children and treat them well.

Urine infections among adults are very common and it is not very common to give rise to renal failures.

Is there any age range that people are more prone to renal failure ?

No age range as such. But we see more and more older people are suffering from diabetes and hypertension.

These diseases have given rise to renal failure and elderly people are more prone to renal failure due to this phenomena. But renal failure is not common among small children. However, those who are 20-year-old and above can get renal failure.

Is it true that drugs for hypertension and diabetes do cause kidney failure?

This is a misconcept. If hypertension and diabetes are not treated it will cause renal failure and various another complications. It is the disease that causes the kidney failure not the drugs. Sometimes when they develop serious renal failure we change the drug that they already on. People think that the changing of drugs also caused kidney failure.

These diseases have a higher chance for the increase in kidney diseases. Taking drugs will prevent developing renal failure. Particularly people are talking about a drug called Metforming. This is a very good drug but when one's kidney function is poor he or she can not be given this drug.

A person who already has a poor kidney function should avoid taking Metforming. But, people think that due to Metforming they develop kidney failure. But this is completely wrong.

What is your advice to save one's kidneys?

Main advice is to be aware of the diseases that can give rise to kidney failure. Usually kidney diseases turn up very late. When one lost about 70 per cent capacity of the kidney function, only, he or she will get the symptoms.

So, if you have a urine infection or any other disease that is diagnosed, could affect kidney take extra care and consult a doctor. Take care of diabetes and hypertension and control them. Don't take any drug on your own and take medicine continuously if you are taking medicine in the long run under doctors advice.

What is the role of water in preventing kidney diseases?

Drinking water is good for your kidneys. It helps the kidneys to function well. But drinking a very small quantity of water is bad, drinking heavily is also bad. If you can drink 1.5 to 2 litres per day it is quite adequate.