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‘Diabetes control reduces kidney disease risk by 21%’

By Amar Guriro

KARACHI Health experts on Thursday suggested that people with diabetes should go through regular medical checkups, as diabetics were more vulnerable to kidney diseases. The experts also said that being diabetic does not confirm a person would acquire chronic kidney disease but patients needed to control their sugar level and follow a proper treatment plan.

Addressing a symposium at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) to highlight kidney diseases on World Kidney Day, endocrinologist Dr Asma Ahmed quoting a research said that controlling diabetes reduced the risk of developing kidney disease by 21 percent.

The World Kidney Day is commemorated on March 11 and this year the global theme set for the day was “Protect Your Kidneys, Control Diabetes”.

Nephrologist Dr Ather Hussain quoting official data from World Health Organisation said that around 175 million people worldwide had diabetes in 2003 and by 2030, the figure would double while the developing countries were on a greater risk. “In Pakistan, half of the diabetics are entirely unaware of kidney diseases and the related risks,” said Hussain.

He said that early detection of kidney disease, strict control of blood sugar and use of high blood pressure medication would slow the progression towards chronic kidney diseases of diabetics. “If the disease is left undetected or untreated, people may develop end-stage renal failure and would have to be treated through dialysis or in a severe case, undergo a kidney transplant,” he said.

Nephrologist Dr Waqar Kashif quoting research results of National Health Survey of Pakistan conducted in 1994 said that 18 percent of adults above 15, and 33 percent above 45 had high blood pressure while less than three percent were able to maintain normal blood pressure. “Currently, in Pakistan, approximately one-third of dialysis patients developed kidney disease as a result of long standing uncontrolled high blood pressure,” he said.

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