Chronic Kidney Disease in Young Indians: Causes and Prevention
Why in the news
Doctors warned that CKD, once seen as an older person’s illness, is increasingly striking youngsters and develops silently.
Risk factors
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Lifestyle | Obesity, fast food, high salt, little water, painkillers, whey and creatine supplements |
| Medical | Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, family history, low birth weight, nephrotic syndrome |
| Environment | Pesticides, pollutants, stress-linked blood pressure |
Warning signs
- Early disease is often asymptomatic.
- Look for foamy urine, blood in urine, repeated infections, burning urination, fatigue, swelling, high blood pressure.
Prevention
- Yearly creatinine and urine albumin tests for high-risk people; six-monthly with family history or existing conditions.
- Drink enough water, limit salt, exercise, sleep 6-8 hours, avoid overusing supplements and painkillers.
Concerns
- Only 15,000 transplants yearly versus demand above 2 lakh; one dialysis session needs about 125 litres of water.
- Childhood CKD, often congenital or hereditary, is irreversible and needs dialysis or transplant.
Exam angle
- World Kidney Day: March 13.