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
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