Kidney, heart problems linked

With over 3 lakh kidney disease cases every year in India, nephrologists from GMC, who are now based across the world, took part in a tele-conference where they stressed that chronic kidney patients must be attended to both by cardiologists and nephrologists.

Dr Pradeep Deshpande, professor of Nephrology at Gandhi Medical College said, “Assessment of various cases recently have shown that cardiac diseases are an independent factor for kidney problems and vice versa. This means that patients who are suffering from kidney problems must also be referred to cardiologist and there must be a joint intervention in treating them. This has come to light because of the recurrent cases of patients, who are on dialysis or suffering from chronic kidney failure, having a sudden heart attack or even a silent attack and dying. These are preventable if the treatment goes together with the kidney treatment.”

Case studies over the last two decades have shown that patients who are at end-stage renal failure, suffer from cardiac arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, and if these are diagnosed early and treated, death can be prevented.

GMC alumni Dr P. Sharma said, “There is also a very strong need to look into the potassium levels and protein urea of these patients. These are independent risk factors and if they are diagnosed well in time, then the life of the patient can be saved.” A better approach for medical management of these patients is being advocated so that sudden death can be avoided.