By Annette Campbell
Two million Australians have kidney disease and probably don’t even know it!
This week is Kidney Health Week and the theme for this year’s event is ‘No Warning Signs’ — because kidney health remains a silent killer. Did you know you can lose 90 percent of your kidney function, without any symptoms?
There’s so much more we should all know about our kidneys, so — with the help of Dr Tim Mathew, medical director of Kidney Health Australia — we’ve compiled a guide of (almost) everything you need to know about your kidneys, and how to keep them healthy.
“Kidney failure is increasing in Australia, by eight percent every year. The number of people on dialysis has doubled in the last 11 years,” says Dr Mathew.
“The only way we can make a significant difference to these statistics is to find kidney disease early and put into place appropriate management,” he says. “I strongly recommend those in the high-risk category should see their doctor for regular kidney checks.”
diabetic
have high blood pressure
have a family history of the disease
aged over 50
obese
of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
“Anyone on this list should see their doctor at least once a year for simple blood and urine tests to detect kidney disease,” Dr Mathew advises.
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