Resources for patients and carers
Are you at risk of Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease is called a ‘silent disease’ as there are often no warning signs. It is not uncommon for people to lose up to 90% of their kidney function before getting any symptoms. One in seven Australian adults aged over 25 years have at least one sign of chronic kidney disease. Anyone can get kidney disease. Research shows that finding and treating kidney disease early improves long term outcomes. If you or a member of your family is at increased risk of kidney disease, you should talk to your doctor about a kidney health check.
A kidney health check can include:
- Blood tests: these detect levels of waste products in the blood and calculate your glomerular filtration rate, which is the best measure of kidney function.
- Urine tests: these detect abnormalities such as blood or protein in the urine which can often be a marker for silent kidney disease.
- Blood pressure test.
Some forms of kidney disease are treatable and normal kidney function will return. In others, kidney disease cannot be reversed but the progress can be slowed or prevented by medication and lifestyle changes. Kidney failure happens when the function of both kidneys is reduced to less than 10-15%. Kidney failure requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to replace kidney function in order to maintain life.
Diabetes and Kidney Disease
Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in Australia. About one third of all people with diabetes develop diabetic kidney disease (also known as diabetic nephropathy) and between 10-20% die of kidney failure. Diabetes can affect kidney function by causing damage to blood vessels, damage to nerves and infections.
In diabetic kidney disease, damage to the small filtering units of the kidney (glomeruli) leads to large amounts of protein in the urine, high blood pressure and declining kidney function. Even when drugs and diet are able to control diabetes, it can lead to kidney damage and kidney failure.
By keeping your blood sugar well controlled, you can decrease your risk of kidney disease. Around one third of Australians who need dialysis (a treatment to replace kidney function) or a kidney transplant have diabetic kidney disease.
Factors increasing the risk of diabetic kidney disease include:
- High blood pressure
- High blood glucose levels
- Smoking
- A family history of high blood pressure, and
- A family history of kidney disease.
How do you measure up?
Kidney Health Australia, in partnership with NSW Health, is encouraging all Australians to Measure Up. The Measure Up campaign is part of the Australian Better Health Initiative, a national program, supported by the Australian state and territory governments, which aims to reduce the risk factors for chronic disease such as kidney disease, some cancers, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
You can look after your health and reduce the risks of developing kidney disease by:
- having an annual kidney health check
- maintaining healthy cholesterol levels
- maintaining a healthy weight
- making moderate physical activity a habit
- healthy eating
- drinking water instead of other drinks
- being a non-smoker
- drinking alcohol in moderation
- maintaining good blood glucose control if you have diabetes and
- taking medications as prescribed by your doctor.
For more information call Kidney Health Australia on 1800 4 KIDNEY (1800 4 543 639) or visit www.checkmykidneys.com.au