8 Golden Rules in Preventing Kidney Failure

Healthy lifestyle is an effective way to combat or prevent kidney failure, a nephrologist or kidney expert said in a health forum spearheaded on Tuesday by the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) at Annabel’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City.

“Taking steps to a healthy lifestyle drastically helps to reduce risk of kidney disease, and its progression to kidney failure,” said Dr. Mary Rose Y. Bisquera, head of Peritoneal Dialysis, Makati Medical Center and a member of the Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN).

According to Dr. Bisquera, there are “eight golden rules” in preventing kidney disease. These are:

* Keep fit and active.

* Control blood sugar level.

* Monitor your blood pressure.

* Eat healthy foods and keep your weight in check.

* Maintain adequate fluid intake.

* Do not smoke.

* Avoid intake of unnecessary drugs, supplements, toxins.

* Check your kidney functions if you have one or more of the “high risk” factors.

“These high risk factors are having history of diabetes mellitus or hypertension, obesity, one of your parents or other family members suffers from kidney disease or you are of African, Asian, or Aboriginal origin,” Dr. Bisquera said.

She added that screening is important because some patients do not exhibit symptoms at the early phase of the disease, thus routine screening is helpful.

She shared that there are three simple tests to screen for kidney disease — blood pressure measurement, urinalysis, and serum creatinine.

Dr. Bisquera said that the costs of the tests are very minimal compared to the high cost of kidney failure treatment that some requires dialysis and transplantation. (PNA) SCS/LSJ