Today we celebrate " World Kidney Day ", an event which the island - like every year - could not miss. On March 14, Sardinian nephrologists will be on the front line for an awareness campaign aimed at everyone. This year the theme is " Renal health for all ", to promote equal access to care, for optimal therapeutic practice which, in the case of chronic disease, slows down the evolution towards dialysis.
The most important epidemiological data - as underlined by the director of the Nephrology and Dialysis department Brotzu Antonello Pani - is that «chronic kidney disease affects 850 million people worldwide. Given that this disease has a high mortality rate, mainly cardiovascular, chronic kidney disease causes 3.1 million deaths (2019 data). In summary, chronic kidney disease is the eighth leading cause of death among chronic diseases and if not "addressed and curbed" it will be the fifth leading cause of death in the world in 2040." Tomorrow, specialists in the sector will therefore have the task of disseminating the essential concept that «to curb chronic kidney disease, a global approach at multiple levels is needed to improve kidney care and optimize therapeutic practices», continues Pani.
Therefore, during the day and in the following week, nephrologists will take advantage of this to ask for better health policies ; increase and better availability of specific healthcare; improve the numerical and cultural deficiencies of health workers; Strengthen the awareness of chronic kidney disease patients and their communities for better access to treatments and medications that currently have a high cost.
The 8 golden rules for keeping the kidneys healthy will also be remembered: physical activity; healthy diet; control and prevention of diabetes; control and prevention of arterial hypertension; adequate water intake; not smoking; avoid taking and abusing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; carry out a periodic check-up of renal function in case of risk factors (creatinine, azotemia, electrolytes, urine test).
(Unioneonline/vf)
