Kidney disease rarely comes alone
Up to six million people in Germany suffer from a kidney weakness. This is often detected much too late, because the decline in kidney function, initially, no discomfort caused. In the advanced stage of the tide is turning, however. The kidney weakness can be responsible for a variety of serious comorbidities such as heart failure, heart attack, or a stroke. Experts warn: The number of possible secondary diseases is kidney patients is as high as in any other medical field.
Specialists of the German society for Internal medicine (DGIM) to clarify how important it is that a kidney deficiency is detected and treated early. Because the kidney regulates the salt balance, contributes to the formation of blood and is closely associated with the Protein, energy, and bone metabolism. “Disorders of renal function have therefore, in principle, to the whole body,” says Professor Dr. med. Jürgen Floege, Chairman of the DGIM.
Numerous secondary diseases possible
The therapy of kidney disease is one of the most complex tasks of the medicine. Hardly any other disease can cause serious and different accompanying diseases. According to the DGIM-Team, the renal failure is the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease such as heart rhythm disturbances, heart weakness, heart attack or stroke. In addition, Edema such as water in the legs or in the lungs, a common symptom of kidney weakness. Add to this possible disorders of the nervous system and an impaired bone metabolism, the risk for fractures increase. “You can say something generalized that patients with renal insufficiency, aging, in many ways, faster than the kidneys healthy,” summarizes Floege.
Kidney disease have serious consequences
From a recent analysis of the 2.6 million insured persons showed that patients with kidney problems in the overall complexity of the disease in the first place. According to the analysis, kidney sufferers had, on average, 4.2 additional diseases, had to take 14,2 different drugs that had a risk of death of 6.6 percent per year, as well as the highest likelihood, within a year are in need of care to. “In order nephro-wise logical patients in four of the nine Complexity on parameters the highest values and in the case of the determination of the overall complexity in the first place,” stresses Floege in a press release, the DGIM.
Kidney diseases need to be considered in the Whole
Due to the diverse impact of kidney injury on other organ systems, should always be of the whole patient behaltenn, according to the expert. Also always, the interactions between the various drugs had to be taken into account, because 90 percent of the ingredients are excreted via the kidney. Due to the significant complexity of the Chairman stressed the importance of cooperation with other medical fields. “The Internal medicine should form a unit, its sub-disciplines will always remain in the exchange – and every Single should preserve in spite of the necessary specialization but always the broad view of the holistically-trained internist,“ advises the Professor. (vb)
