Chronic kidney disease is associated with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and premature death. (Source: AI Generated). By Anthony Dat. As a urological surgeon, I meet many patients with chronic (long-term) kidney disease.. Sometimes, I see patients that have progressed to the point where their kidneys do not work at all. This leads to the toxic build-up of waste products, meaning they need regular dialysis or a kidney transplant.. While these treatments are lifesaving, access to them is becoming increasingly challenging.. As more people are newly diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, the larger the demand for dialysis. By 2032, it is expected dialysis rates in Australia will surge by almost 86% compared with rates in 2022.. Many dialysis units across the country have more patients than they can treat. Some patients wait on average two to three years for a kidney transplant.. So my colleagues and I are increasingly working in a health-care system at capacity caring for people with kidney disease.. Story continues below this ad. Clearly, it would be better for patients and the health system if we detected kidney disease early and treated it before it progressed.. Kidney Health Australia’s action plan provides a practical blueprint of how to get there.. The cost of kidney disease. An estimated one in seven Australian adults have indicators of chronic kidney disease, the vast majority not knowing it.. About three out of four Australian adults have at least one factor that increases their risk of chronic kidney disease. This includes diabetes or high blood pressure.. Story continues below this ad. Chronic kidney disease is associated with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and premature death.. It also has a significant public health impact, costing Australia A$9.9 billion a year.. Remind me, what do your kidneys actually do?. The kidneys are two fist-sized organs that sit at the back of the abdomen and perform some of the body’s most essential tasks.. They are best known to filter waste and excess fluid from the bloodstream to produce urine.. Story continues below this ad. They produce hormones that help support red blood cell production and bone health. They also regulate blood pressure by maintaining the balance of salts and minerals in the body.. But kidney disease can start and progress for a variety of reasons.. For instance, high blood glucose (sugar) levels and high blood pressure can damage kidney blood vessels and nephrons (filtering units). This affects the kidneys’ ability to filter blood.. Kidney disease is often ‘silent’. Kidney disease is often described as “silent”. That’s because kidneys can lose up to 90% of their function before development of symptoms including:. Story continues below this ad. fatigue. swelling in the legs and ankles. persistent high blood pressure. shortness of breath. needing to urinate more often, especially at night foamy urine.. Unfortunately, kidney damage is often irreversible by th
