Increase in severe kidney disease cases

The number of patients with severe chronic kidney disease has increased within the last two years.
As of January, this year, there were 91 patients, 59 males and 32 females at the Mount St. John’s Dialysis Unit as opposed to April 2016 when there were 72 patients, according to non-communicable disease coordinator within the Ministry of Health, Nurse Valarie Williams.
“This increase is due to our lifestyle practices,” Williams told OBSERVER media yesterday.
She added that lack of regular medical checkups is another contributing factor which causes the disease to get to its final stage that can result in death.
Regular checkups can prevent the last stage of the disease when detected early.
“We are not exercising enough. We’re not eating healthy,” Williams stressed.
Large consumptions of alcohol and tobacco are also causes of the disease as well as poorly treated cases of diabetes and hypertension.
There are three stages of kidney disease: mild, moderate and severe. When it is mild and moderate there are no signs and symptoms. It is only detectable through blood and urine tests.
Individuals are admitted to the dialysis unit when the disease has reached its final stage.