Kidney disease is Toronto’s fastest-growing chronic condition — here’s how to prevent it
· Toronto Sun
Kidney disease is the city’s fastest-growing chronic condition, according to a recent report from the University of Toronto.
The study commissioned by the Ontario Hospital Association looked at chronic diseases across six regions in the province and kidney disease was deemed to be developing at the quickest rate.
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It found that in Ontario, the top five fastest-growing chronic conditions percentage-wise from 2020 to 2040 are kidney disease and failure, hearing loss, substance use disorders, Crohn’s and colitis, and dementia.
In Toronto, specifically, they are kidney disease and failure, hearing loss, Crohn’s and colitis, cancer and dementia.
But don’t fret. Doctors say that many cases of kidney disease can be prevented.
What is chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, refers to kidney damage or a decreased level of kidney function for at least three months or longer, according to the Kidney Foundation of Canada .
It can encompass a variety of conditions and disorders that affect the kidneys, with the disease attacking the nephrons — the filtering units of the kidneys — and damaging their ability to eliminate wastes and excess fluids.
The disease ranges from mild to severe, with some cases leading to end-stage kidney disease, where your kidneys fail and no longer adequately filter your blood.
What to look out for?
Kidney disease often starts slowly and develops without symptoms over a number of years, so CKD may not be detected until it has progressed to the point where kidney function is quite low.
Most people don’t progress to end-stage kidney disease, especially if they are diagnosed early and take steps to preserve whatever remaining kidney function they have.
There are those who are predisposed or susceptible to the disease, with Indigenous people, and people of Asian, South Asian, Pacific Island, African/Caribbean and Hispanic descent all at a higher risk of kidney disease and failure, according the foundation.
Demographic changes through immigration may also be a reason there are more cases in Toronto.
What doctors recommend
Early detection is key to prevention or management of kidney disease, specifically controlling risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Of course, there’s also getting bloodwork done, as tests show how well (or not) kidneys are filtering blood by measuring serum creatinine levels, a waste product produced by muscle use and the breakdown of protein in food.
A urine test can also detect protein leakage or blood in the urine, which otherwise should be filtered out by healthy kidneys.
People with diabetes, high blood pressure, smokers or individuals with a family history of kidney disease are at increased risk and should get their blood and urine tested every year.
Also, a healthier lifestyle including regular exercise, reducing sodium and limiting processed foods can go a long way in preventing the disease.
—With files from Jane Stevenson