Australia's health system needs to provide a framework of
investigation for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in the high risk
category of patients to stem the rapid growth of Chronic Kidney
Disease patients being placed on dialysis.
One of the world's leading authorities on Chronic Kidney
Disease and economic outcomes Professor Allan Collins today said
"Chronic, non-communicable diseases (particularly cardiovascular
disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease)
have now replaced the communicable diseases as the leading threat to
public health and health budgets worldwide according to the World
Health Authority."
Approximately 2 million Australians
may be affected by early-stage kidney disease and don't know it.
Over 40 Australians die of kidney failure each day and 11.3% of
all deaths in Australia are due to, or associated with, kidney
failure.
Dr. Allan Collins, President of the National Kidney Foundation
(NKF) in the USA, Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota
School of Medicine and Principal Investigator for the U.S. Renal
Data System said, "Chronic Kidney Disease is a multiplier disease
triggering other diseases.
"Chronic diseases that already account for 72% of the total
global burden of disease in people over 30, will increase by 17%.
"Just 5% of the community carrying chronic diseases generate
25% of all health costs.
"In the United States CKD and Early Stage Renal Disease being
carried by 8% of the community generate 30% of all health costs.
"The cost of treating these chronic diseases, already 80% of many
health care budgets, represents a leading threat to public health
and healthcare resources worldwide.
"The only feasible global response to this pending health and
socio-economic crisis is chronic disease prevention."
Professor Collins said that the kidney, too often overlooked
as part of global public health efforts, has now emerged as central
to prevention efforts.
"Even more importantly, kidney disease is a "disease multiplier".
It contributes to death in many people with diabetes and
hypertension and predicts the development of a cardiovascular event.
"If detected early CKD can be treated, thereby reducing other
complications. Abnormalities in kidney function often represent an
early window into the state of the general vascular system. This
window facilitates early disease detection before patients develop
more devastating problems such as a stroke, peripheral vascular
disease, coronary heart disease and kidney failure."
'"This new information now demands that kidney assumes a central
role in global health and prevention efforts, because increased
awareness of kidney disease has the immediate potential to
dramatically reduce the growing burden of deaths and disability from
chronic cardiovascular disease worldwide."
Chronic kidney diseases and cardiovascular diseases will kill
36 million people by the year 2015.
ALLAN J. COLLINS, MD
An expert in chronic kidney disease clinical and economic
outcomes, Dr. Collins is President of the National Kidney Foundation
(NKF) in the USA. He is Professor of Medicine, University of
Minnesota School of Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center in
Minneapolis, MN. He also serves as Director of the Chronic Disease
Research Group of the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation and as
Principal Investigator for the U.S. Renal Data System (USRDS)
Coordinating Center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr.
Collins manages all data resulting from the NKF's Kidney Early
Evaluation Program (KEEP) screening programs nationwide as the
Director of the KEEP Coordinating Center.
Fast Facts on CKD in Australia
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a significant and growing public
health problem, responsible for substantial burden of illness and
premature mortality. In Australia, it is a fact that:
1 in 3 adults is at increased risk of developing CKD
1 in 7 adults has at least one clinical sign of existing CKD
A person can lose up to 90% of their kidney function before
experiencing any symptoms
Approximately 2 million Australians may be affected by
early-stage kidney disease and don't know it
Over 40 Australians die of kidney failure each day
11.3% of all deaths in Australia are due to, or associated with,
kidney failure
Every day, 6 Australians commence expensive dialysis or
transplantation to stay alive
Most people with CKD will die from cardiovascular causes before
requiring dialysis or transplantation
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders experience excessive
death and disability due to CKD
The dialysis-dependent population has risen by an average of 8%
per year over the past decade, and is being fuelled by the ageing
population, and Type 2 diabetes epidemic
It costs approximately $60,000 per annum to keep a person alive
on dialysis
There is consistent evidence that with proper medications and
management, the number of people with kidney failure can be
significantly reduced. However, early stages of kidney disease often
go unrecognised, and the knowledge of what can be done to help
patients is often not applied.
Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith Kidney Health Australia Mobile:
0417 329 201
