Sweltering heat nationwide puts kidney care for ‘chronic kidney disease’ patients on alert
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St. Peter's Hospital 26-07-29 15:58Main content
Avoid potassium-rich Korean melon, watermelon and bananas… water intake must also be discussed with a specialist
Sweltering heat is continuing across the country. With heat wave warnings in place in most regions, daytime temperatures have approached 38℃. In many places tropical nights are occurring, with the lowest temperature not falling below 25℃ even at night. Particular care is needed to look after your health in this scorching heat.
Patients with chronic kidney disease need to pay even closer attention to kidney health in the heat and the dehydration it brings. The kidneys are a major organ that keeps the body's internal environment stable. Through millions of glomeruli made up of tiny blood vessels, they filter waste products out of the body and cleanse the blood. In doing so they maintain homeostasis, including fluid and electrolyte balance and hormone regulation.
Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed when kidney function has declined continuously for three months or more, or when damage to the kidneys is confirmed. It affects about one in every seven or eight people in Korea, and its prevalence is rising as the population ages.
Chronic kidney disease is divided into five stages according to the degree of decline in kidney function, from stage 1, which is close to normal, to stage 5, at which dialysis has to be considered. The higher the stage, the greater the risk of accompanying complications such as cardiovascular complications. Once it progresses to end-stage renal disease, the prognosis is poor and mortality rises sharply.
Even as kidney function declines, most patients have no symptoms in the early stages. Most do not realize their kidney function has fallen until proteinuria is detected on a urine test or imaging shows abnormal findings. With chronic kidney disease it is important to detect the disease early and to prevent it from worsening through consistent management. Diabetes and hypertension are among the leading causes of chronic kidney disease.
Patients with chronic kidney disease need to take care of their kidney health in summer. Heat waves place a burden on their kidneys. Excessive heat causes dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and when the effects of medications such as diuretics are added, the risk grows further.
Dehydration caused by a heat wave reduces blood flow to the kidneys. It raises the risk of acute kidney injury and worsens the symptoms of chronic kidney disease. Studies have also reported that in high-temperature conditions the risk of kidney disease, hospitalization and emergency room visits rises by about 30%.
Patients with chronic kidney disease also need to manage their eating habits in summer. Summer fruits high in potassium, such as Korean melon, watermelon and bananas, place a burden on the kidneys and can cause hyperkalemia, so intake must be controlled. Excessive consumption of juice and sports drinks because of the heat should be avoided. It is also advisable to avoid excessive salt intake of more than 5 g a day and drinks containing caffeine or alcohol.
Appropriate fluid intake suited to kidney function and disease status is also important. As sweating increases in the summer heat, it is easy to drink more water than usual to quench thirst. Excessive fluid intake can burden the kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease, so care is needed. Rather than drinking a large amount at once, it is recommended to drink smaller amounts several times over the course of the day.
In particular, if abnormal symptoms such as persistent dehydration, changes in the volume or color of urine, or extreme fatigue appear, it is better not to put them down to the heat but to visit a hospital and consult a specialist.
Lee Ji-yeon, Chief of Nephrology at St. Peter’s Hospital, said, “Patients with chronic kidney disease must be more careful than anyone about dehydration and declining kidney function in summer. With seasonal risk factors overlapping in combination, they need to watch out for the risk of declining kidney function,” adding, “Rather than simply drinking water or taking restorative foods, they need to discuss the matter with their medical team and manage their condition carefully, taking their own kidney function and disease status into account.”
Source: Korea Health Log (https://www.koreahealthlog.com)
Sweltering heat is continuing across the country. With heat wave warnings in place in most regions, daytime temperatures have approached 38℃. In many places tropical nights are occurring, with the lowest temperature not falling below 25℃ even at night. Particular care is needed to look after your health in this scorching heat.
Patients with chronic kidney disease need to pay even closer attention to kidney health in the heat and the dehydration it brings. The kidneys are a major organ that keeps the body's internal environment stable. Through millions of glomeruli made up of tiny blood vessels, they filter waste products out of the body and cleanse the blood. In doing so they maintain homeostasis, including fluid and electrolyte balance and hormone regulation.
Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed when kidney function has declined continuously for three months or more, or when damage to the kidneys is confirmed. It affects about one in every seven or eight people in Korea, and its prevalence is rising as the population ages.
Chronic kidney disease is divided into five stages according to the degree of decline in kidney function, from stage 1, which is close to normal, to stage 5, at which dialysis has to be considered. The higher the stage, the greater the risk of accompanying complications such as cardiovascular complications. Once it progresses to end-stage renal disease, the prognosis is poor and mortality rises sharply.
Even as kidney function declines, most patients have no symptoms in the early stages. Most do not realize their kidney function has fallen until proteinuria is detected on a urine test or imaging shows abnormal findings. With chronic kidney disease it is important to detect the disease early and to prevent it from worsening through consistent management. Diabetes and hypertension are among the leading causes of chronic kidney disease.
Patients with chronic kidney disease need to take care of their kidney health in summer. Heat waves place a burden on their kidneys. Excessive heat causes dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and when the effects of medications such as diuretics are added, the risk grows further.
Dehydration caused by a heat wave reduces blood flow to the kidneys. It raises the risk of acute kidney injury and worsens the symptoms of chronic kidney disease. Studies have also reported that in high-temperature conditions the risk of kidney disease, hospitalization and emergency room visits rises by about 30%.
Patients with chronic kidney disease also need to manage their eating habits in summer. Summer fruits high in potassium, such as Korean melon, watermelon and bananas, place a burden on the kidneys and can cause hyperkalemia, so intake must be controlled. Excessive consumption of juice and sports drinks because of the heat should be avoided. It is also advisable to avoid excessive salt intake of more than 5 g a day and drinks containing caffeine or alcohol.
Appropriate fluid intake suited to kidney function and disease status is also important. As sweating increases in the summer heat, it is easy to drink more water than usual to quench thirst. Excessive fluid intake can burden the kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease, so care is needed. Rather than drinking a large amount at once, it is recommended to drink smaller amounts several times over the course of the day.
In particular, if abnormal symptoms such as persistent dehydration, changes in the volume or color of urine, or extreme fatigue appear, it is better not to put them down to the heat but to visit a hospital and consult a specialist.
Lee Ji-yeon, Chief of Nephrology at St. Peter’s Hospital, said, “Patients with chronic kidney disease must be more careful than anyone about dehydration and declining kidney function in summer. With seasonal risk factors overlapping in combination, they need to watch out for the risk of declining kidney function,” adding, “Rather than simply drinking water or taking restorative foods, they need to discuss the matter with their medical team and manage their condition carefully, taking their own kidney function and disease status into account.”
Source: Korea Health Log (https://www.koreahealthlog.com)