Kidney patients need more care in Ramazan

Islamabad

Patients who are not living with healthy kidneys and are suffering from any of the kidney diseases may develop severe complications leading to irreparable loss in case of a little carelessness while opting for fasting in the holy month of Ramazan.

Health experts say that patients having kidneys with decreased function suffer irreparable losses more often when they fail in assessing severity of their disease and opt for fasting without prior consultation with their physicians.

It is important that kidney diseases are considered as the silent killers that affect the quality of life of a patient to a great extent. There are many forms of kidney diseases like urinary tract infection, cyst around kidneys, kidney stones, acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is particularly dangerous because a patient of CKD may not have any symptoms until considerable, often irreparable damage to kidney has occurred.

Patients suffering from type 1 or type 2 diabetes and those suffering from hypertension are at greater risk of developing complications if they do not take extra care while fasting. Studies reveal that diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD.

It is a must for patients with decreased function of kidneys to avoid dehydration while fasting as dehydration is one the most common causes of acute kidney injury, the sudden loss of kidney function that is also called as acute renal failure, said Deputy Director at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Dr. Wasim Ahmed Khawaja while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

Acute renal failure is a life threatening condition and it must be avoided, he added. He said there is a need of creating awareness among public on importance of functions that kidneys perform.

Kidneys perform a number of life-sustaining roles in the body from cleansing blood from waste and toxins to maintaining balance of salt and minerals in the body and thus regulating blood pressure, he said.

To keep all these functions smooth, it is a must for a patient of decreased kidney function to undergo complete medical check-up before opting for fasting for a month or should immediately report to the nearest healthcare facility in case of developing any complication, said Dr. Khawaja.

Studies reveal that kidney damage and decreased function that lasts for more than three months is called CKD. With the damage to kidneys, waste products and excess fluid starts building up in the body causing swelling in ankles, vomiting, weakness, poor sleep and shortness of breath.

The patients with CKD or having any of the symptoms of damage to kidneys must consult their physicians and undergo complete examination while opting for fasting for a month, said Dr. Khawaja.

He added that if these symptoms are left untreated, the diseased kidneys may stop functioning completely that is potentially a serious and life-threatening condition.

It is important that healthy kidneys maintain a balance of water and concentration of minerals such as sodium, potassium and phosphorus in the blood and remove waste by-products from the blood after digestion. Kidneys produce rennin, an enzyme that helps regulating blood pressure. They also produce an active form of Vitamin D, needed for the health of bones while stimulate red blood cell production.

Dr. Khawaja suggested that patients suffering from urinary tract infections, milder kidney stones and cyst can fast during Ramazan but after advice from their physicians. He added if the kidney stones are silent and are not causing pain, the person can fast but if there is pain due to stone, the patient should seek treatment instead of opting for fasting without medical advice.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/209894-Kidney-patients-need-more-care-in-Ramazan