Doctors say kidney failures have doubled in last 15 years in India

The number of Indians suffering from kidney failures has doubled in the last 15 years with a rise of 10 % in the number of citizens undergoing dialysis due to chronic kidney diseases (CKD), health experts have said.

Health experts said that the number of Indians suffering from kidney failures has doubled in the last 15 years with a rise of 10 percent in the number of citizens undergoing dialysis due to Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD). According to health experts, several Indian population-based studies in the past estimated the incidence of End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) is 150-230 per million and about 220,000-275,000 new patients need Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) every year. 'It is estimated that approximately 75,000 patients are on dialysis which is growing at the rate of 10-20 percent annually. The question is whether India has the resources and skill to handle this ever-increasing population of ESKD in India,' said Dr Rajesh Kumar, consultant nephrologist at Mumbai-based SRV Hospital.

Stating that the exact burden of chronic kidney diseases in India is still undefined, the approximate prevalence of CKD is 800 per million populations (PMP). According to the experts, one percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in India is spent on the health sector while the figure in China is three percent and 8.3 percent in the US. Earlier figures have shown that 65 percent diagnosed patients do not receive dialysis and medical treatment on time. 'Looking at these facts, it is a challenge to cope up with an ever-increasing ESKD population who require Renal Replacement therapy (RRT) in the form of Hemodialysis, Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis or Kidney Transplantation. Hence a sincere and serious attempt is necessary to bring down the cost of dialysis treatment,' Dr Kumar told IANS. (Read: 8 tests for checking if your kidneys are functioning fine)

According to Dr Pradeep Gadge, a dialectologist with Seven Hills and Breach Candy Hospitals in Mumbai, diabetes is considered as the most common causes for kidney failures and it is estimated that over one million patients worldwide are alive on dialysis. 'With this exponential increase in diabetic patients in India, the number of patients with kidney ailments is likely to rise high,' he noted, adding that every year, an estimated 3.5-4 lakh new cases are likely to be diagnosed with kidney ailments. (Read: World Kidney Day: Don't ignore your child's kidneys)

'Diabetes and blood pressure are most common cause of kidney disease in adults but in children, Chronic glomerulonephritis and Recurrent UTI (Reflux) are the most important causes apart from congenital anomalies of urinary system,' Dr Gadge said. Throwing light on the facilities for dialysis, Dr M.M. Bahadur, nephrologist at Wockhardt Hospital, said: 'Two lakh patients in a year reach the CAPD (Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis) stage 5 where they need dialysis of which less than 10 percent actually get treated due to non-availability of facility, cost factor and proximity.

Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis means dialysis throughout the day, at home or at work. During CAPD, a bag of dialysis fluid is drained into the peritoneal cavity through a Tenckhoff Catheter. 'With only 300-400 dialysis centres available in India and with 1,500 nephrologist in metro cities who treat kidney patients, more than 60 percent of the patients do not receive medical attention on time. Only four percent of the patients get donors,' noted Dr Bahadur. According to the health ministry, 2,000 new dialysis centres will be set up at district-level hospitals in the country within the next two years to tackle the problem.

Source: IANS 

Tags: World Kidney Day, Kidney disease, chronic kidney disease, Diseases & Conditions

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Most of Energy Drinks are Harmful for Children

Most of the energy drinks contain too much caffeine and that might be harmful to children. This finding is based on the research of University of Miami.

Several energy drinks contain an excessive amount of alkaloid which is very harmful to youngsters and this is shown in the study of journal pediatric medicine at University of Miami. Many of the energy drinks reviewed contain three times the caffeine of a cola and some of which have five times more, said the study.

The study showed that caffeine in the drinks can exacerbate cardiac conditions, especially in children with eating disorders, and interfere with calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents.

Energy drinks produce extra calories which can contribute to diabetes, high body mass index and dental problems, according to the study. Many of the energy drinks reviewed contain 3 times the alkaloid of a cola and a few of that have 5 times additional, same the study.

Also, energy drinks contain additional ingredients which may boost caffeine levels, said the study. The study also found that many children and young adults in the United States have tried energy drinks, and some consume them heavily. A survey of college students reported that 51 percent regularly consumed one or more of the drinks per month, and a majority of those students drank them several times a week.

Insufficient sleep and a desire for more energy were cited as reasons for such consumption, said the study.

The drinks are unregulated in the United States, and the number of overdoses of caffeine from drinking those remains unknown, the study said. But in Germany, Ireland and New Zealand, officials have reported cases of liver damage, kidney failure, seizures, confusion and arrhythmias associated with energy drink use, according to the study.

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Best Healthcare App Connecting Patients to Doctors, Diagnostic Centers, Hospitals and Pharmacy Stores

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Considering the current scenario, in the very near future every patient will have a digital healthcare app or diary.

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Is Energy and Sports Drinks good for the Teeth?

As we all know that sugar is not good for the overall health, and it is certainly not good for the teeth. Various drinks are the major culprit for tooth enamel damage, and a new research suggests that these drinks are also bearing the fault for the tooth caries in children.

The results of the research have been published in the Journal of General Dentistry, by consuming energy or sports drinks for only as little as 5 days consecutively, the teeth are already exposed to a high risk of decay and enamel damage. Moreover, the energy drinks have proved twice as harmful for the teeth as the sports drinks.
Jennifer Bone, who is the spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry says that quite often, patients come to her office with oral health symptoms such as tooth sensitivity or tooth decay, and they simply cannot find a reasonable answer for these symptoms.

Certainly the dentists make a thorough review of the patient's everyday diet or snacking habits, and of course they ask the patients about what type of drinks they do consume. The patients are basically stunned to find out that it is the sports drinks or the energy drinks the ones that cause these symptoms in the first place.

Various studies and researches have analyzed many different types of sports drinks and energy drinks. According to the findings, the sports and the energy drinks from different brands contain different amounts of acidity levels. The researchers even put tooth enamel samples into these drinks in order to notice the damage caused by the fizzy beverages. They allowed these samples to be soaked for about 15 minutes, and then soaked the samples in artificially created saliva.

After a few days, the researchers could notice quite some damages to the tooth enamel on the samples. Dentists around the world highly recommend that people who consume such sports or energy drinks on a regular basis, should always rinse their mouths with water after drinking.

This way, all those bad sugars which will be later transformed into harmful acids by the bacteria, will be flushed away and the damages can be thus avoided.

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Why people say “bless you” when you sneeze?

The residents of every country in the world have their own way of wishing sneezers around the globe. Whatever the words they may use, the meaning remains the same; to bless the person who sneezes with good health. You must also have become habituated to say or hear "bless you" when someone sneezes. Have you ever wondered why? What does sneezing has to do with blessings? I mean, have you ever heard someone doing the same when someone coughs or burps? Never, right? Then, what is so special about someone sneezing? Have you ever wondered why? Or what this phrase means?

Well! There are a number of stories behind this practice. In fact, this practice blessing someone who sneezes is found dated far back centuries ago. It is far older a practice then you can even think of. Some say that it was during the outbreak of the deadly plague in Rome. At those times, sneezing was considered as an early symptom of plague and people used to shower their blessing to anyone who sneezed. They believed that their "bless you" could halt the path of the disease.

Some more stories that prevail about this blessing you practice explain that according to a folk belief, people believed that the soul of a person can be thrown out of their body while they sneeze. Another belief says that the sneezing process could otherwise open the body to invasion by evil spirits. Or, perhaps sneezing was a way to force out an invading evil presence by the body. People believed that a "God bless you" or "bless you" could protect the person acting as a sort of shield for the evil forces.
Another belief says that people in the older times felt that the heart stops beating during a sneeze. The people believed their phrase "bless you" could encourage the person's heart to beat again.

Basically, this "bless you" phrase is a way to wish good health to you and to anyone who sneezes. It is a practice that originated thousands of years ago. No exact details could be found though, which could tell you about the start of this practice. Most of these reasons behind blessings while a person sneezes have found to be originated from superstitions from the past. Today, you must be aware about the scientific reason behind sneezing. Sneezing is just a reflex action or is a sign of some cold or allergy. But, you have got so accustomed to this "bless you" phrase that you still persist in the custom of saying "bless you" out of habit or courtesy.

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Most Doctors now prefer Digital Interaction

Over 60% of doctors in the country now prefer, one out of three times, digital interaction with their patients as against the traditional face-to-face interaction, indicating a trend where WhatsApp, text messages and E-Mails are increasingly being used for consultations. This is slightly lower, but in keeping with the trend in the US, Japan and China, where a greater number of healthcare professionals (HCPs) — in certain markets, over 90% — have switched to the digital medium, using various mobile apps, blogs, email and text messaging to engage with patients for follow-up consults.

Most Doctors now prefer Digital Interaction

Also, a majority of doctors - globally approx. 60% - demand drug companies combine the use of digital tablets and iPads along with direct interaction when medical representatives (MRs) are detailing the portfolio of medicines. These findings are part of the Digital Savvy Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) 2015, an annual global survey on the digital habits of doctors across the US, Japan, China and India, by healthcare solutions firm Indigene, shared exclusively with TOI. Read more..
 

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ZIKA Virus Outbreaks

What is Zika virus infection?
Zika virus infection is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, usually causing mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain.  
The virus was isolated for the first time in 1947 in the Zika forest in Uganda. Since then, it has remained mainly in Africa, with small and sporadic outbreaks in Asia.

What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of Zika virus infection are mild fever and exanthema (skin rash), usually accompanied by conjunctivitis, muscle or joint pain, and general malaise that begins 2-7 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. 

How is Zika virus transmitted? 
Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue and chikungunya. In general, the Zika virus needs a means of transportation to infect people. That vector is the mosquito. The virus has also been isolated in semen, and one case of possible person-to-person sexual transmission has been described. 

Zika can be transmitted through blood, but this is an infrequent mechanism. The usual recommendations for safe transfusions should be followed (e.g., healthy volunteer donors). 

There is little information on transmission from mother to baby during pregnancy or childbirth. Perinatal transmission has been reported with other vector-borne viruses, such as dengue and chikungunya. Studies are now being conducted on possible mother-to-child transmission of the virus and its possible effects on the baby.

What treatment is there?
There is no vaccine or specific drug for this virus. Treatment consists of relieving pain, fever, and any other symptom that inconveniences the patient. To prevent dehydration, it is recommended to control the fever, rest, and drink plenty of water.

What measures should be taken to prevent Zika virus infection? 
Prevention involves reducing mosquito populations and avoiding bites, which occur mainly during the day. Eliminating and controlling Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding sites reduces the chances that Zika, chikungunya, and dengue will be transmitted. An integrated response is required, involving action in several areas, including health, education, and the environment.

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