Hypertension is reported to be a leading cause of Chronic Kidney Failure (CKD). Globally there are over one billion people suffering from hypertension and in India, there is a 37 per cent prevalence of hypertension among the 30-65 age-group.


On the occasion of World Kidney Day observed on March 11 annually with the theme ‘Protect your kidneys, Save your heart’, it becomes all the more critical to control hypertension which is on the rise.


In the US, about 31 per cent of adult population are hypertensive. The growing incidence of life style disorders in India, hypertension alone contributes for 27 per cen of chronic renal failure and in combination with diabetes, 76 per cent incidence of renal failure is reported, stated Dr. LN Raju, Consultant Urologist, Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore .


Worldwide, life style disorders and obesity are also reported to increase hypertension.


In fact, hypertension, diabetes and kidney-toxic drugs are the three most common causes of renal disease. The key point here is to drive the message among the masses about early diagnosis and better management of hypertension and diabetes to prevent chronic kidney disease.


However, regular screening of the kidney, which costs about Rs.800 and an early diagnosis can prevent the heavy costs of a dialysis or even a transplant. This is where we are offering Free Kidney Screening Camp to ensure early diagnosis, stated Shriram Vijaykumar, founder & managing director, Nephrolife.


Kidney diseases are now a major public health concern. There are around 30 million people are suffering from chronic renal failure in the US alone. People with family history of hypertension should look at early detection and long term prevention. Further, an awareness should also be created to decrease dietary phosphate or phosphate binding drugs, pointed out Dr Raju.


According to Dr. Sushma Rani, Nephrologist, Nephrolife, preventing, identifying and managing hypertension and diabetes are crucial, but there is a need to consult a nephrologist for a kidney disease so that they can save their residual kidney function.


At estimated one lakh patients suffer from chronic kidney disorders in India and only 20 per cent can afford the treatment. Annually only 3,000 transplants are conducted and 7000 patients take dialysis. By 2015, chronic kidney disorders and cardiovascular diseases arising out of hypertension would result in 36 million fatalities. Globally over 1.5 million chronic kidney disorders cases survive with either hemo or peritoneal dialysis or transplantation. The number of cases is expected to double within the next decade. The global dialysis market could grow in excess of $73 billion by 2011 due to an increasing population of kidney disease patients, according to a report.