Diabetics comprise over 69pct of new patients on dialysis

 

Sixty-nine percent of new patients on dialysis suffer from type 2 diabetes, according to the Malaysian Dialysis and Transplant Registry 2018.

In a statement today, Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN) president Dr Abdul Halim Abdul Gafor voiced his concern on the worrying trend of more Malaysians being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019 conducted by the Health Ministry, the prevalence of diabetes in adults increased from 13.4 percent in 2015 to 18.3 percent in 2019.

“High blood sugar (blood glucose) can damage blood vessels in the kidneys. When damaged, the kidneys will not work as well.

“Many patients with diabetes will also develop high blood pressure which can also damage the kidneys. However, with care, the progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in diabetes patients can be delayed.

“As the kidneys are one of the most affected organs in diabetes patients, it is advisable for diabetics to go for regular scheduled blood and urine tests to monitor the kidney function,” cautioned Halim.

He added that with regular monitoring of the kidneys in diabetic patients, the progression to CKD can be managed or delayed.

“A percentage of those with CKD will eventually progress to kidney failure or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and require either a kidney transplant or dialysis.

“However, we wish to encourage these patients not to give up hope as options in dialysis treatments and management of kidney failure have improved greatly over the years.

“We are seeing kidney failure patients these days having a much better quality of life, compared to years before," said the MSN president.

With home dialysis or peritoneal dialysis, patients can enjoy more independence and flexibility, Halim said, which will allow them to take charge of their lives and plan their dialysis treatment routine.

“What is important now is the awareness among Malaysians so that the necessary lifestyle changes can be adopted early as early interventions can promote better outcomes” he added.  

The MSN urged all Malaysians to attend regular check-ups with their doctors to be more aware of their health status. - Mkini