Baxter Supports World Kidney Day

New Delhi, March 14, 2014 : Baxter India Private Limited (MD Anish Bafna, www.baxter.in), is proud to support World Kidney Day 2014. Baxter which is committed to raising awareness of kidney disease and transforming care for patients urges the general public to get screened for kidney disease.

World Kidney Day is an annual occasion, to raise awareness about the dangers of kidney disease and to send a clear message to the general public and governments that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, harmful and treatable, if diagnosed early.

CKD which is predicted to increase by 10 % annually in India, is now recognized as global public health issue.¹If detected early and managed appropriately, the deterioration in kidney function can be slowed or even stopped – yet awareness of kidney diseases is very low and many people underestimate the vital role their kidneys play.

About 1 in 10 people have some degree of CKD and it can affect people of all ages and origin. It becomes more common with increasing age. Regular screening can help detect any abnormalities in the functions of the kidney. In the initial stages, kidney disease usually does not have signs (a change in body) or symptoms (a change in how one feels). Testing is the only way to know how kidneys are doing. It is important to get checked for kidney disease regularly if one has the key risk factors – diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure. This is important because CKD increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, and in some cases can progress to kidney failure (ESRD) requiring dialysis or transplantation for sustenance. Early detection can lead to treatment options that help to maintain the health of kidneys and reduce the risk of developing irreversible kidney failure.

Based on the current Indian population of 1.27 billion, even a conservative estimate of end stage renal disease (ESRD) burden in India would suggest that about 2,00,000 people develop ESRD every year.²

Kidney transplant is a limited option due to a shortage of donor organs hence dialysis remains the common form of renal replacement therapy. There are different dialysis treatment options designed to meet patients’ unique needs. Age, health and timing (onset) should be considered when choosing the right form of dialysis

In kidney transplant, an operation is performed in which a patient with ESRD receives a new kidney. The transplanted kidney takes over the work of cleaning the blood. Kidney transplantation is typically classified as deceased-donor (formerly known as cadaveric) or living-donor transplantation depending on the source of the donor organ. A successful kidney transplant provides a better quality of life because it may mean greater freedom, more energy and a less strict diet. It also provides survival advantage over dialysis.

 

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a self-administered therapy that can be managed by patients at home and can offer a number of clinical and health economic benefits. In PD, dialysis solution is administered into the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity through a catheter in the patient’s abdomen. The peritoneal cavity is surrounded by a thin membrane (called the peritoneum), which interacts with the dialysate solution to serve as a filter through which waste and excess water are drawn into the solution. The used solution is then drained from the abdomen and discarded. There are two types of PD treatment,Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD), in which solution is infused and drained automatically by a device while the patient sleeps; and Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD), in which patients manually infuse their PD solution and perform solution exchanges several times a day.

In Hemodialysis (HD ), blood is withdrawn from the body and pumped through an external filter, or dialyzer. The cleansed blood is then returned to the patient. There are several types of hemodialysis: In-center treatment where patients are connected to a machine throughout the process, which takes three-to-four hours and generally, occurs three times a week in a dialysis clinic or hospital. In-Home hemodialysis is done at night while patient sleeps typically lasting six to eight hours per treatment, or during the day, typically lasting two to four hours per treatment. In- Home hemodialysis may have better clinical outcome than in-center treatment.

Acute care setting is required in the case of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), which is a rapid decline in the kidneys’ ability to clear the blood of toxic substances, as opposed to chronic kidney disease, which occurs slowly over time. AKI can result from any condition that decreases the supply of blood to the kidneys, causes toxicity to kidney cells, or obstructs the flow of urine once it has left the kidneys.

Dr. Ashok Moharana, Director Medical Affairs, Baxter says, “ As the prevalence of end-stage kidney disease continues to rise worldwide, Baxter is helping expand access to life-sustaining treatment options. Our growing global presence also ensures availability of these critical products and services to those who need it. We believe in advocacy, support for health care professionals and patients to remove the barriers that stand in the way of optimal care for patients.” CCI Newswire