Today is World Kidney Day
THIS IS the 13th annual observance of the second Thursday in March as World Kidney Day. The concept was initiated by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF) to raise public awareness about kidney disease, which is prevalent, harmful and treatable. This year, the day falls on International Women’s Day. It is not surprising that the theme of World Kidney Day is ‘Kidneys and Women’s Health’.
Our amazing kidneys are two bean-shaped organs approximately the size of our fists which are located in the back on either side of the spine just jutting down below the lower ribs. Despite their small size, they receive a very rich blood supply and are responsible for filtering our entire blood volume as many as 50 times each day! They remove waste products and toxins from the body, remove excess fluid, regulate the concentration of salts like sodium, potassium, help control the pH of the body fluids and help to regulate blood pressure. In other words, they operate as the sanitation department and the master chemists all in one.
In addition to these well-known filtration functions, our kidneys also produce chemicals and hormones that help us make red blood cells and keep our bones healthy and strong. Our kidneys are vital organs, which mean that we cannot survive without some function from them. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is prevalent. As many as eight-10 per cent of the population may have some degree of CKD. Moreover, the early stages are frequently asymptomatic, so many persons are unaware of having kidney problems until they have lost as much as 90 per cent of all kidney function. Diabetes and hypertension, the two most common chronic diseases in Jamaica, are the leading causes of CKD. Kidney disease itself is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, namely heart attack, heart failure, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Persons with kidney disease are also 10 times more likely to have cardiovascular disease than the general population. Kidney disease affects all age groups, races and socioeconomic classes, but the risk increases with age.
CKD progresses on a scale of stages from one to five, from mild, moderate to severe. Although the milder stages are common, the most severe form, Stage 5, ESRD or kidney failure can be delayed and sometimes prevented by early detection and appropriate treatment. This is why raising public awareness is vital, so that the most severe stages of CKD may be reduced, thus decreasing the burden of treatments like dialysis and kidney transplantation on the population. The imperative of governments, health planners, physicians and patients is to prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease, as the cost of treating kidney failure is prohibitive and the outcomes are often suboptimal.