May 27 2009

‘D for Dialysis’ crusade to raise awareness of kidney disease

Patients, staff and visitors to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital are being encouraged to get their blood pressure checked as part of ‘D for Dialysis Day’ today to raise awareness that high blood pressure is one of the major risk factors contributing to kidney disease.

‘D for Dialysis Day’, held during Kidney Health Week, aims to highlight the factors that put one in three Australians at increased risk of kidney disease and, where possible, ways to minimise them.  Risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, family history, being over 50 years of age and being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Descent.

It’s estimated two million Australians are unaware that they have some form of kidney disease.  When the kidneys fail they are no longer capable of properly filtering waste from the bloodstream and dialysis or a transplant is required.

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital’s Dialysis Clinical Nurse Specialist Jon Hosking said that we all need to maintain our fitness, eat a balanced diet low in saturated fat, sugar and salt and keep an eye on our blood pressure.

“To lower your risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) but should get the recommended 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week, eat well and not smoke,” said Mr Hosking.

It was hoped that by raising awareness more Australians would take action to reduce their risk factors.

“To think that one Australian each week will die waiting for a kidney transplant and so many more rely on dialysis for survival is especially disturbing when you think that by maintaining a healthier lifestyle it may not have been the case,” he said.

“Awareness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is especially important because the death rate from kidney disease is ten times higher in those cultural groups.”

The Sir Charles Gairdner dialysis team will have a stand in the Hospital’s main thoroughfare where free blood pressure checks will be carried out and patients can access information on kidney disease and advice on reducing their risk factors.

Kidney Health Week runs 24-30 May. Further information is available at www.kidney.org.au

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