A regular dose of aspirin to prevent the formation of blood clots will have no side-effects on patients with renal problems according to a nephrologist who spoke on kidney diseases in the Kingdom.
Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Saran was talking to callers about renal diseases in the Kingdom at the Health Awareness Program conducted to mark the World Kidney Day in the Kingdom on Thursday. In the program, members of the public were given an opportunity to seek advice and clarifications on renal diseases.
The Communications Department of the Ministry of Health (MoH) assigned a toll-free number 8002494444 and the account of the Ministry of Health on Twitter @saudimoh to answer questions from callers.
The nephrologist explained that renal disease patients on antibiotics and pain killers usually suffer from side-effects. However, he pointed out that the regular dosage of aspirin taken by the elderly on the advice of doctors would have no side-effects.
Comparing notes on the reasons for kidney diseases in adults and children, he said hypertension and diabetes remain the main causes for renal disease among adults while children contracted the kidney problems because of congenital diseases and urinary tract infection. “Children form only 5 five percent of the adult kidney patients population in the Kingdom,” he said advising callers to “Protect your kidneys and maintain your heart.”
Describing it as a global problem, Al-Saran said people should be conscious of kidney diseases that could affect people who suffer from chronic ailments such as diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases.
Some 12,000 patients who have reached the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) are receiving dialysis treatment in the Kingdom, Al-Sarhan said, adding that 37 percent of renal diseases are due to diabetes, while 32 percent are due to hypertension.
He explained the importance of the prevention of kidney diseases and also advised people to refer themselves to kidney diseases detection centers if they showed early signs of the disease.
This year, the Kingdom joined 90 countries in the world to observe World Kidney Day. The focus this year is on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and aging. CKD can develop at any age, but it becomes more common as patients get older.
The mission of World Kidney Day is to raise awareness of the importance of kidney functions on overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
Dr. Aqeel Al-Ghamdhi, undersecretary for hospital affairs at the Ministry of Health said there are some 9,792 dialysis patients in 20 regions in the Kingdom.
He pointed out that renal failure patients not only need medical support, but also psychological treatment. The ministry offers both these services in all its dialysis centers throughout the Kingdom. He said the ministry had undertaken various programs not only to treat kidney patients, but also to advise them on how to prevent these diseases. He attributed the increasing number of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney failure to a change in lifestyle.
He explained that diabetes and hypertension are the two main causes of kidney problems. He said that another 300 million people will be affected with diabetes and hypertension globally by 2025.
-
Kidneys not affected by regular dose of aspirin
