Start Preventing Hemodialysis Treatment... Beginning with Diabetes and Hypertension Management

Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service: 68.6% of Dialysis Patients Due to Diabetes and Hypertension

Daedong Hospital Artificial Kidney Center.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] On the 7th, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service announced an analysis of the underlying diseases of hemodialysis patients based on the hemodialysis adequacy evaluation data conducted since 2009.

According to the data, 68.6% of regular outpatient hemodialysis patients were found to have diabetes or hypertension as the underlying disease. Among the 31,238 patients subject to hemodialysis evaluation in 2018, 12,749 (40.8%) had diabetes, accounting for more than 40%, followed by hypertension with 8,691 patients (27.8%).

The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service explained that if blood sugar and blood pressure remain above the standard levels due to poor management of diabetes and hypertension, the small blood vessels in the kidneys can be damaged, leading to chronic kidney disease where the kidneys fail to properly filter waste from the blood. If chronic kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal failure, treatments such as hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation must be performed.

The kidneys, nicknamed the "water purifier" of the body, are shaped like kidney beans and are about the size of an adult fist, located on the back side of the body. Also called the renal organs, the kidneys remove unnecessary waste while retaining essential substances produced in the body. They also maintain electrolyte balance, regulate blood pressure by controlling renin hormone secretion and salt excretion, and activate vitamin D to help absorb calcium in the body, thereby supporting strong bones.

When the kidneys are damaged or kidney function declines for more than three months due to various causes, it is called "chronic kidney disease" or "chronic renal failure." Patients at high risk of developing chronic kidney disease include those with ▲ diabetes ▲ hypertension ▲ obesity ▲ smokers ▲ age over 50 ▲ family history of kidney disease, diabetes, or hypertension ▲ persistent proteinuria or hematuria ▲ kidney infections.

In South Korea, the number of patients is increasing due to aging and the rise of risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's national interest disease statistics, the number of patients increased by 46.1% from 170,576 in 2015 to 249,283 in 2019.

Kim Minji, head of the Artificial Kidney Center at Daedong Hospital (specialist in nephrology), said, "Chronic kidney disease often has no symptoms in the early stages and is frequently diagnosed after it has significantly progressed. If you have chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes, it is necessary to manage them consistently with medication and not neglect them, and to check your kidney health regularly through medical examinations."

Especially if proteinuria or hematuria is observed during examinations, or if there are suspicious symptoms such as foamy urine, hematuria, frequent urination, unusual odor in urine, sudden weight changes, or back pain, it is advisable to consult a nephrology specialist.

For diagnosis, urine and blood tests are conducted to check blood urea nitrogen levels, blood creatinine levels, and glomerular filtration rate. Based on these test indicators, the disease is classified from stage 1 to 5, and treatment aims to stop or delay the progression to the final stage of kidney function decline through drug therapy, dietary therapy, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation.

Hemodialysis is a renal replacement therapy performed on end-stage patients whose kidney function has dropped below 15%, who cannot properly remove waste and fluids. It filters the blood outside the body through a special tube using an artificial device, removing waste before returning the blood to the body. Hemodialysis maintains electrolyte balance and removes excess fluid in the body. It is usually performed about three times a week, with each session lasting approximately four hours. The duration and frequency can be adjusted depending on the patient's condition.

To prevent chronic kidney disease, it is important to regularly measure blood pressure and blood sugar and consistently treat hypertension and diabetes if present. A low-sodium diet with less than 2g of sodium per day, regular exercise, and maintaining a normal weight are recommended. Smoking must be stopped, and alcohol consumption should be minimized as much as possible.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.