Diabetics should get kidney function tested every 6 mths

Kidney disease is emerging as a silent epidemic, affecting millions across the globe.

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Lifestyle changes, high blood pressure, diabetes, excessive salt consumption, and imbalanced diets have significantly increased the risk of chronic kidney disease even among the younger population, says Dr Sandip Kumar Panda, HOD of nephrology at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, in an interview with Hemant Kumar Rout. Edited excerpts:

What trends are you observing in kidney-related ailments?

Studies indicate that kidney-related ailments, particularly chronic kidney disease (CKD), have become a growing public health concern in India with its prevalence increasing from 11.12% during the period 2011-17 to 16.38% during 2018-23 among people aged over 15 years. The condition is often silent in its early stages, leading to many cases being diagnosed late, often requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant for advanced cases. There is a noticeable increase in chronic kidney disease in young people who are usually non-diabetic and normotensive with low socioeconomic status.