Media
Release
21 September
2009
Patients Urged to Ask Doctors for Simple
Test on Silent Killer
Kidney
Health Australia has urged people at an increased risk
of kidney disease - those over 50 years, all diabetics
and those known to have high blood pressure - to
visit their local GP to request a simple test to check
the health of their kidneys.
The call follows the release of a study by
Dr Ruth Webster of the George Institute
yesterday which revealed that patients at a high
absolute risk of a cardiovascular event were found to be
substantially undertreated. All people with moderate or
severe chronic kidney disease are considered to be in
the high risk group.
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director of Kidney
Health Australia said Chronic Kidney Disease
(CKD) has been identified as a silent but deadly
multiplier of other major chronic diseases including
heart disease, diabetes and cancer and the report
clearly shows it is important for patients to take the
initiative.
"Patients with CKD have a greatly increased
risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
"More importantly
CKD is known as the silent killer with people losing up
to 90% of the use of their kidneys without even knowing
it, only to face dialysis treatment within weeks of
being diagnosed."
Dr Mathew said whilst
it is vital to look after current and future dialysis
patients governments need to focus on reducing the
number of people needing dialysis through targeted early
detection of chronic kidney disease, education and
management of the disease.
Adult
Australians are at risk of CKD if
they:
* Have high blood pressure
(hypertension)
* Have diabetes
* Smoke cigarettes
* Are obese
* Have a family history of
chronic kidney disease
* Are over 50 years of age
* Are of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander descent
Who is at more risk of Chronic Kidney
Disease?
* High blood pressure affects 1 in 4
Australians (50% do not have blood pressure managed to
target levels)
* Diabetes affects 7.6% of Australians
aged over 25 years (50% of whom are
undiagnosed)
* 19.5% of Australians aged
over 14 years smoke daily
* 2.6 million adult Australians
aged over 25 years are obese
Media Enquiries:
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director,
Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0416 149
863
Ron Smith National Media
Communications Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0417 329
201
