More than 66 per cent of 55,000 kidney patients caused by diabetes - Expert

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- More than 66 per cent of the 55,000 chronic kidney patients undergoing dialysis treatment said the disease was due to diabetes, said the Head of the Department of Nephrology, Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Dr Lily Mushahar.

She said that besides diabetes, about 30 per cent of the chronic kidney patients were due to high blood pressure and other factors such as genetic diseases, kidney cancer, consumption of pain killers and supplements without seeking the advice of doctors.

“The number of kidney patients increases each year. A total of 7,000 new patients are detected in the country who are suffering from kidney problems and must undergo dialysis treatment each year,” she said in the program "Ruang Bicara” produced by Bernama News Channel titled Chronic Kidney Diseases, last night.

She said that unbalanced food and the preference for sweet food were the causes for diabetes and subsequently contributed to kidney diseases.

Meanwhile, Nephrology Expert Consultant, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia Dr Nor Fadhlina Zakaria who also appeared as a guest in the programme said health screening was important and should be done every year while more often screening should be carried out on patients suffering from diabetes and hypertension.

She said that the rate of kidney donation in the country was still low, that is.only 1.3 per cent out of the approximately 30 million Malaysian population who registered as kidney donors.

"About 21,000 patients who have undergone dialysis treatment are waiting for kidney donors and the situation is serious as no family member wants to come forward and donate,” she added.

-- BERNAMA