RAK Hospital educates on Diabetic Kidney Disease during their latest ‘Diabeat’ Webinar
30 % of type 1 diabetics and 10-40 % of type 2 diabetics are likely to get diabetic kidney disease (DKD).
Kidney disease is among the top ten causes of death worldwide
Early diagnosis and treatment can reverse Diabetic Kidney Disease
17 November 2022; Ras Al Khaimah, UAE: Diabetic nephropathy or diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. About 40% of people with diabetes go on to develop kidney disease as a result of the chronic condition. During the latest ‘Diabeat’ webinar by RAK Hospital on ‘Diabetes & Renal Health’ organized as part of the RAK Diabetes Challenge 2022 informative series, Dr. Ravi Andrews, Consultant Nephrologist at Apollo Health City Hyderabad, India highlighted various aspects of Diabetic Nephropathy and its management.
Diabetic nephropathy affects the kidneys’ ability to do their usual job of removing waste products and bodily fluids. Over many years, the condition slowly damages the kidneys’ delicate filtering system. This may progress to kidney failure, also called end-stage kidney disease. Kidney failure is a life-threatening condition. At this stage, treatment options are dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Presenting the alarming statistics, Dr Andrews stated that Kidney disease is among the top ten causes of death worldwide. The severity is such that a 20-year-old with kidney disease is 100 times more likely to die than a healthy 80-year-old. Moreover, 30 % of type 1 diabetics and 10-40 % of type 2 diabetics are likely to get diabetic kidney disease (DKD).
Signs of kidney disease in people with diabetes include albumin/protein in the urine, high blood pressure, ankle and leg swelling, leg cramps, going to the bathroom more often at night, high levels of BUN and creatinine in the blood, less need for insulin or antidiabetic medications, morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting, weakness, paleness, anaemia and Itching.
Talking about prevention, he highlighted the fact that diabetes kidney disease can be prevented by having tight control of blood sugar and blood pressure levels, implementing lifestyle changes, controlling weight and conducting yearly tests to check for serum creatinine, serum electrolytes, CUE and urine microalbumin.
Dr Andews emphasized that early diagnosis and treatment can reverse DKD in the early stages and even in late stages, disease progression can be slowed down and damage can be limited by proper management. Regular follow-ups are recommended to prevent complications of DKD once it has set in. Further, he strongly spoke about avoiding unnecessary treatments using painkillers, antibiotics or herbal medicines
Commenting on the subject, Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director, RAK Hospital said, “Blood sugar control, BP control, and weight control are crucial while medications, diet and exercise play a major role in managing DKD. However, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed for the management of diabetes and its complications. With the involvement of an Endocrinologist, Nephrologist, Podiatric Surgeon, Dietician, Physiotherapist and Counselor diabetes can be managed very efficiently. Our webinars are designed to help people understand the disease so that prevention and effective management becomes easier. Knowledge is power and through these sessions, we are consistently working on empowering people with the tools to beat diabetes.”
To know more about the challenge and to access the webinar login to www.rakdiabeteschallenge.com/webinar-arch.php
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