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Keep The Pressure Down - Stay Calm
Summary
 





 



2/03/2009

 
 World Kidney Day
Media Release 2 March 2009
 
KEEP THE PRESSURE DOWN  
 Stay Calm
   
  
Nearly one billion people worldwide have high blood pressure and more than 500 million have chronic kidney disease. Unchecked high blood pressure may severely damage the kidneys and is a major cause of Chronic Kidney Disease. World Kidney Day - to be held on 12 March 2009 - aims to encourage the community to face up to the harsh realities of kidney disease and motivate people to check if they are at risk, and take action.
 
Anne Wilson CEO of Kidney Health Australia said, "Undetected, the risks of
Chronic Kidney Disease cause progressive loss of kidney function eventually leading to the need for dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant."
 
                                                                see them in action

 
Worldwide - the incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease is escalating with 10-13% of the population affected in most countries.
 
Added to this, millions are dying prematurely of cardiovascular diseases linked to chronic kidney disease.
 
Less than 30% of people with Chronic Kidney Disease are aware they have the condition and Kidney Health Australia believes  two million Australians are in this category.
 
To highlight the link between high blood pressure and Chronic Kidney Disease we are calling on people including all Members of Parliament to KEEP THE PRESSURE DOWN by having CALM DAY on Thursday 12 March 2009, Ms Wilson said. 
 
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director of Kidney Health Australia said, "Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease is - a marriage that should be prevented as the kidney and hypertension are linked by a fateful relationship: the kidney is both culprit and victim.
 
"On the one hand, reduced kidney function is a major cause of high blood pressure - on the other hand high blood pressure is a major factor initiating and promoting progressive loss of renal function". 
 
Kidney Health Australia supports the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF) who want to ensure that measurement of blood pressure and examination of the urine for protein (an indicator of kidney disease), become part of all routine medical examinations. At present this is not encouraged in Australia despite eighty per cent of people with failed kidneys have high blood pressure.
 
Dr Mathew said at present there are approximately 10,000 Australians being kept alive by dialysis, costing up to $83,000 each annually, with the dialysis bill growing by $1 million a week. The number of people on dialysis in Australia is growing at an average of 6% per year.
 
The World Kidney Day campaign, now running in its fourth consecutive year, is going from strength to strength. On World Kidney Day it is anticipated that more than 100 countries on 6 continents will take part .  
 
Media Enquiries:
Anne Wilson, CEO Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0400 165 391 
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director KHA  Mobile: 0416 149 863
Ron Smith  National Media Communications Kidney Health Australia
Mobile: 0417 329 201
 
Kidney Health Fact Sheet  Download PDF
 
 
 
 

 


 

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