1 in 10 people has kidney disease
According to TTƯT. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Hoang Minh - Head of Urology - Kidney Transplant Department, People's Hospital 115 (HCMC), chronic kidney disease is divided into 5 stages. Worryingly, statistics show that on average, at least 1 in 10 people has kidney disease.
When the disease has progressed to stage 5 (final stage), patients are required to receive kidney replacement treatment. Currently, medicine only has 3 methods: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation. However, not everyone is eligible for immediate kidney transplantation. Therefore, early screening and proactive prevention are important" - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Hoang Minh emphasized.
Explaining the reasons why the rate of chronic kidney disease is more common and younger than before, the doctor said that this stems from many factors. Previously, diagnostic methods were limited, and the number of neurology specialists was not large. Currently, with modern means, medicine can detect diseases very early, helping to accurately reflect the rate of disease in the community.
Other factors such as social conditions, unhealthy eating and living, especially abuse of drugs and functional foods, are at risk of causing kidney toxicity.
Proactive screening and lifestyle changes to protect kidneys
Chronic kidney disease often progresses silently, until symptoms appear, the damage is already in a late stage. Dr. Minh said that risky eating habits and alcohol and beer abuse can cause kidney damage. Alcohol and stimulants not only destroy liver cells but also force the kidneys - the body's main excretory organ - to operate overloaded continuously.
In addition, self-purchasing and using drugs without a doctor's prescription, especially non-steroidal pain relievers, poses a high risk of toxicity and kidney damage.
In addition, some patients when detecting the disease in a mild stage (stage 2 or 3) did not follow the doctor's treatment regimen but went home and arbitrarily used herbs and leaves of unknown origin. The consequence was acute kidney damage, the disease suddenly progressed to stage 5.
To prevent and detect chronic kidney disease early, Dr. Minh recommends that people should proactively have periodic screenings; build a healthy lifestyle such as eating balanced, reducing salt, limiting alcohol and maintaining a suitable exercise regimen; absolutely do not arbitrarily use pain relievers, functional foods or folk remedies of unknown origin.
When kidney disease is detected, it is necessary to persistently treat according to the instructions of a specialist doctor, do not arbitrarily give up medication or apply unverified treatment methods.
