How to identify if I am at risk of developing an CKD?
Among those who are entering the world of kidney care, one of the most frequent doubts is about how to avoid chronic kidney disease. In some cases, it is possible to identify it in time to slow the progress of stages, so its early detection is one of the pillars of renal care Baxter RCS.
To better understand the conditions that would lead us to develop chronic kidney disease (CKD) we spoke with specialist Delia Perea, of Baxter RCS.
First of all, Delia reminded us that there is a group of diseases that can lead to the appearance of a CKD, and for this there are a number of tests that will be useful to us and our doctor, to know if we are at risk.
"There are a group of diseases that could lead you to develop CKD, such as diabetes, hypertension, glomerulopathies (kidney diseases), polycystic kidney disease in adults, obstructive nephropathies (growth of the prostate in men, malformations of the ureters, stones and masses) as well as some autoimmune diseases, among others, explained Delia, remembering that the most frequent are diabetes and hypertension (especially in the elderly population).
"The tests required for the diagnosis will depend in large part on the medical criteria and the presence of other diseases in the patient, but an initial screening can be performed with simple tests, such as: serum creatinine, urinalysis and albuminuria," he added.
In addition to the above, this specialist suggests us to keep our medical history in mind when consulting with our doctor. This, since knowing if we have suffered from hypertension, diabetes, glomerulonephritis, frequent urinary infections, prostate diseases, kidney stones or systemic lupus erythematosus will be key to facilitate guidance towards an early diagnosis.
It is also worth mentioning if we have consumed for prolonged periods some drugs such as naproxen, diclofenac, ibuprofen and voltaren, among others.
Delia suggests telling our doctor about our family history. In particular, we must mention if in our close family there are diagnoses of polycystic kidney disease, or if any of our parents or siblings came to require renal replacement therapy (dialysis or kidney transplant).
Changes in our lifestyle
In addition to paying attention to the preexistences that can lead us to develop a CKD, we consulted with this specialist about the things that we can improve from day to day to avoid this disease, and this was what he suggested.
• Increase of fruits and vegetables in the diet.
• Reduction of fat consumption: fried preparations, sausages and industrialized sauces
• Do not take medicines that have not been formulated by a doctor
• Exercise frequently according to our ability and preferences
• Know what our healthy weight would be and try to keep it
• Avoid or quit smoking
• Limit salt consumption in food
• Stop or limit alcohol consumption.
When to consult our doctor?
Delia recommends to consult before the appearance of symptoms that indicate some alteration in the normal functioning of our body such as: changes in the normal characteristics of urine (burning, pain, foaming urine) presence of edema (swelling) located somewhere in our body, Anything that goes out of the usual should be a reason to consult with a doctor. Also, it is important to take your blood pressure periodically to ensure it is within normal values.
Young people must not let their guard down
Although the vast majority of patients with chronic kidney disease are over 50, young people should not neglect the health of their kidneys. Thus, this specialist recommends maintaining a healthy lifestyle to avoid the mentioned diseases that could lead to the development of CKD. "perform periodic check-ups as indicated by the doctor to look for pathologies that may lead to the development of CKD. A young person may also suffer from hypertension, diabetes and these diseases may end up affecting his kidneys," he says
