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Free Malaysia Today
15-07-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Why CKD continues to fly under the radar
CKD is a progressive condition in which the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA : The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Malaysia surged from 9.07% in 2011 to 15.48% in 2018, signalling a worrying trend. Today, more than 50,000 Malaysians receive dialysis, according to the health ministry, which projects this number could exceed 100,000 by 2040 if early intervention continues to be elusive. Yet, many remain unaware they might be at risk: the slow, symptomless nature of CKD and lack of public awareness often lead to late diagnosis, after significant and irreversible kidney damage has set in. CKD is a progressive condition in which the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. By the time patients experience symptoms like fatigue, bodily swelling, or changes in urination, significant and often irreversible damage has already occurred. 'CKD is a dangerous disease precisely because it hides in plain sight,' explained consultant nephrologist and physician Dr Chong Yip Boon. 'Left undetected, it can result in life-threatening complications such as cardiovascular disease, symptomatic anaemia, metabolic bone diseases, fluid overload and ultimately, irreversible renal failure and death. 'Its insidious onset and silent progressive nature make early detection both challenging and critical. Lack of public awareness and regular health screenings further increase the difficulty in its early diagnosis.' Dr Chong Yip Boon. One of the key reasons CKD is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages is the widespread lack of public awareness and regular checkups. Most individuals do not experience any discomfort or clear symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Even when signs appear, they are often misattributed to other, less serious conditions. The common mindset that 'feeling fine means being healthy' leads to delayed action, especially among high-risk individuals. 'The issue isn't that kidney tests aren't available. In fact, they are included in most health screening packages,' Chong noted. 'The problem is that people simply don't come in for checkups until it's too late.' Screening is especially important for high-risk groups: those with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, morbid obesity, kidney stones, gout, or a family history of kidney disease. Others include the elderly, frequent users of painkillers or over-the-counter medications, and those who self-medicate regularly. The health ministry projects that, without early intervention, the number of Malaysians who require dialysis could hit 100,000 by 2040. (Bernama pic) In some cases, early signs may be more visible than people realise. For example, abnormal bubbly or foamy urine can be an early indicator of protein loss – a possible sign of kidney damage. A simple urine test with a GP or specialist can determine whether symptoms are benign or related to CKD. Chong places emphasis on practical lifestyle steps to reduce the risk of kidney disease: drink at least 2 litres of water per day (if there are no underlying heart conditions); maintain a healthy and balanced diet; avoid overuse of painkillers, unprescribed supplements, and self-medication; exercise regularly and aim for sustainable weight reduction; avoid or limit smoking and alcohol consumption; schedule routine full-body screenings and checkups to have a more well-informed overview of one's health; manage existing underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease. 'Malaysians must begin to see kidney health as an essential part of general wellbeing, not something to think about only when symptoms appear,' Chong stressed. 'Routine screening, especially among at-risk individuals, can lead to early detection, delay disease progression, improve quality of life, and significantly reduce long-term healthcare costs.'
Health Line
08-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
What's the Connection Between Kidney Disease and High Blood Pressure?
The effects of high blood pressure can damage your kidneys, leading to chronic kidney disease and potentially kidney failure. Managing high blood pressure can prevent kidney disease. Your blood pressure is the force your blood exerts on the walls of your blood vessels as it flows through your body. If this pressure is consistently higher than normal, you have high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure is very common. The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that 46.7% of adults in the United States have it. When it's not well managed, high blood pressure can cause health problems, including kidney damage. This can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that affects an estimated 14% of adults in the United States. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of CKD. Other diseases that affect the kidneys can also cause raised blood pressure and require evaluation and treatment by a healthcare professional, such as a nephrologist. These can include: polycystic kidney disease glomerulonephritis nephrotic syndrome Keep reading to learn more about the link between high blood pressure and kidney health. How does high blood pressure affect your kidneys? Your kidneys filter waste and excess fluids from your blood. The filtered substances and fluids then exit your body as urine. A healthy kidney filters about half a cup of blood each minute. Blood that needs to be filtered flows into your kidneys via arteries until it reaches the nephrons, the filtering units of your kidneys. Filtered blood leaves your kidneys through the veins. If you have high blood pressure, the increased force of blood on the artery walls damages your arteries over time. Arteries throughout your body can become weak, narrow, or stiff, which can reduce blood flow to your kidneys. When the nephrons aren't getting enough blood, they cannot do their filtering job properly. This means the nephrons have trouble effectively removing waste and fluid from your blood. As excess fluid builds up in your blood vessels, it can further boost your blood pressure. This causes more damage to blood vessels in your kidneys. It can eventually lead to CKD and potentially kidney failure. How do you know if high blood pressure is affecting your kidneys? It can be hard to tell whether high blood pressure is affecting your kidneys unless you have tests at a doctor's office. That's because both high blood pressure and early stage CKD typically don't cause any symptoms. One early symptom of a possible problem with your kidneys is edema, which is swelling due to excess fluid that builds up because your kidneys are having trouble removing it. This swelling typically happens in your legs, ankles, or feet, and sometimes in your face or hands. Other possible symptoms of kidney problems include: fatigue weakness more or less urination than usual headache dry, itchy skin muscle cramping nausea or vomiting shortness of breath chest pain loss of appetite unintended weight loss trouble sleeping difficulty concentrating blood in urine If you have symptoms of kidney disease, make an appointment with a doctor. They can do tests to assess your kidney function and can evaluate your blood pressure to see whether it's too high. When is blood pressure too high? A blood pressure reading has two numbers: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. The systolic (upper) number is your blood pressure when your heart beats. The diastolic (lower) number is your blood pressure between beats. The AHA defines a healthy blood pressure as a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mm Hg. Elevated blood pressure is a systolic blood pressure of 120 to 129 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mm Hg. You have high blood pressure if your blood pressure readings are regularly above this range. Can kidney damage be reversed? Once kidney damage has happened, it's typically not possible to reverse it. However, timely diagnosis and treatment can slow the progression of damage. For this reason, if you've received diagnoses of high blood pressure and CKD, it's important to stick to your treatment plan, including any prescribed medications and recommended lifestyle changes. What can you do to lower your risk of kidney disease if you have high blood pressure? If you have high blood pressure, you can lower your risk of kidney disease by working closely with your doctor to manage it. This involves aiming to keep your blood pressure within a target range, which varies from person to person. Your doctor may also prescribe blood pressure medications to help you reach and maintain this target blood pressure range. Be sure to take these medications as directed by your doctor. CKD and high blood pressure It's estimated that 65% to 85% of people with CKD also have high blood pressure. The prevalence of high blood pressure in this group increases as kidney function declines. The optimal blood pressure range for people with CKD and high blood pressure isn't well defined. However, researchers in a 2021 study identified readings of less than 130/80 mm Hg as a potential target range to prevent negative health outcomes. You can also take other steps in your everyday life to help lower your blood pressure, including: engaging in regular physical activity following a heart-healthy diet, such as the DASH diet lowering your salt intake quitting smoking, if you smoke reducing or stopping alcohol use finding effective ways to reduce your stress levels managing your weight, if necessary monitoring your blood pressure at home and talking with a doctor if your readings are consistently outside your target range What else can you do to protect the health of your kidneys? Regardless of whether you have high blood pressure, it's always important to help protect the health of your kidneys. You can do so in the following ways: drinking plenty of fluids to stay hydrated eating a balanced diet that focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low fat or no-fat dairy, like the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet reducing your salt intake to 1500 mg/day if you have hypertension incorporating exercise into your daily routine on most days of the week taking steps to manage your weight if you are overweight or have obesity avoiding smoking, or quitting smoking if you smoke taking caution with over-the-counter drugs that can damage your kidneys, particularly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) addressing other preexisting health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, if necessary working with your doctor to monitor your kidney health if you're at risk for kidney disease The bottom line High blood pressure that's not well managed can gradually damage your kidneys. Over time, this can lead to CKD and potentially kidney failure. While you can't reverse kidney damage caused by high blood pressure, you may be able to slow it down by managing your blood pressure. This typically involves medications and lifestyle strategies.
