There are currently more than 50,000 people in Germany who have to undergo intensive kidney replacement therapy (dialysis) to survive. However, dialysis treatment can only partially take over the complex function of the kidneys. In addition to the time involved (four to five hours three times a week in a clinic or dialysis center on a dialysis machine, or dialysis sessions four times a day at home for peritoneal dialysis), patients must follow a strict diet and are also allowed to drink only very limited fluids.
Chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus
The most important cause of chronic kidney failure is diabetes mellitus (diabetes). There are about four million diabetics in Germany, plus an estimated two million people who have diabetes that has not yet been diagnosed. Over time, permanently high blood sugar can seriously damage the kidneys. Kidney patients and diabetics also suffer disproportionately from high blood pressure (arterial hypertension), which can also lead to significant impairment of kidney function if treated poorly or not at all over many years. A simple test, checking the urine for protein, indicates early impairment of the kidneys by the two diseases. Protein excretion in the urine should therefore be checked regularly.
Silent danger: high blood pressure
High blood pressure also plays an exceedingly important role in most other kidney diseases as well. Many patients are not even aware of their high blood pressure. The situation is similar with diabetes; here, too, the disease is often unknown. For this reason, the special importance of regular blood pressure measurements and, in the case of elevated values, automatic 24-hour blood pressure measurement to record even nocturnal and early morning blood pressure peaks should be pointed out.
In addition to non-medicinal measures such as weight loss, regular endurance sports, reduction of alcohol consumption and renunciation of nicotine, it is particularly important for diabetics to choose the right antihypertensive agent; then the occurrence of damage to the kidneys or its progression can be prevented. Thus, timely detection and optimal treatment of diabetes and especially arterial hypertension can avoid much suffering of patients and high costs for society.
