Chronic kidney disease is preventable.
Highlights:
- Chronic kidney disease is responsible for more than 60,000 premature deaths in Mexico annually.
- It is a silent condition that can be prevented, and is characterized by a progressive and prolonged loss of kidney function.
- In more advanced stages of the disease, affected people may require renal replacement therapy.
- Mexico has the sixth highest chronic kidney disease mortality rate in the world, according to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
Chronic kidney disease is responsible for more than 60,000 premature deaths in Mexico annually. It is one of the most important public health conditions. In those affected, it represents a significant reduction in their quality of life, harming their general health. It is a silent condition that can be prevented. It is characterized by a progressive and prolonged loss of kidney function.
Dr. Lillana Pacchiano Alemán, a specialist in nephrology and doctor in the hemodialysis clinic at “Salud Evexia,” comments that it can be “a silent disease in its initial stages until patients lose 90% of their kidney function.” The kidneys are responsible for removing waste and excess fluid from the body. When their function declines, it causes symptoms that tend to come on slowly. It can cause high blood pressure, foamy urine, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, more severe symptoms such as mental disorders, decreased ability of the body to fight infections, breathing difficulty, and even in late stages, death. It also increases the chances of having heart disease or a stroke.
In more advanced stages of the disease, affected people may require renal replacement therapy. That is, using renal support resources to replace the functions of the kidneys, eliminating toxic substances and excess fluid. It can be through peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, or even kidney transplant. Although the first two options cannot wholly replace kidney function, “it allows us to keep the patient alive for a long time,” says Dr. Pacchiano Aleman.
According to figures from the National Institute of Public Health, in Mexico in 2017, chronic kidney disease reached a prevalence of 12.2% and caused 51.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. These figures are higher than the global prevalence of “7 to 10%”, mentions Dr. Pacchiano Alemán. This may be mainly secondary to the increase in the number of metabolic diseases in Mexico, such as diabetes mellitus, due to the sale of certain medications that do not require a prescription and which damage the kidneys or due to not having a solid prevention strategy.
“In Mexico, what is striking is that there is no prevention policy. As a result, we have vulnerable groups that are not attended to on time”, highlights Dr. Pacchiano Alemán. In addition, Mexico has the sixth highest chronic kidney disease mortality rate in the world, according to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). This is alarming since the figure shows that Mexico not only does not have a solid prevention strategy but also that the disease is not treated early. In this sense, it is recommended that check-ups be carried out in the targeted population. Those with a higher risk of developing chronic kidney diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, some genetic diseases (such as polycystic kidney disease), and those with autoimmune or infectious diseases. Precisely, at “Salud Evexia,” they are doing this type of check-up for people with risk factors to detect those who have the disease promptly and be able to start early treatment to reduce the progression of the disease. However, a strong strategy needs to be implemented at the national level. This becomes more relevant, given that Mexico is the second Latin American country with the highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus, one of the main risk factors for chronic kidney disease.
In Mexico, there is a need for more specific policies to timely detect chronic kidney disease, and there is an urgent need to implement preventive measures among at-risk populations. Despite this, there are private initiatives that can guide national strategies to reduce the burden of chronic kidney disease in Mexico. Kidney health is required for everyone everywhere.
