Kidney disease: Expert advises on frequent checks to avoid complications

Dr Mary Kigho, a medical practitioner in Universal Hospital, Benin, has advised patients of chronic kidney disease to go for frequent medical checkups to avoid further complications.

Kigho, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Benin, defined kidney disease as “a gradual loss of the kidney function.”

She, however, said that frequent checkups and proper medications without failure would help to manage the disease.

ALSO READ: Lanre Razak urges Nigerians to double support for Buhari

“Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood which are then excreted in your urine.

“When chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes can build up in your body.

“Treatment for chronic kidney disease focuses on slowing the progression of kidney damage, usually by controlling the underlying cause,” she said.

Kigho said chronic kidney disease, also known as kidney failure could progress to end-stage, which could be fatal without artificial filtering (dialysis) or a kidney transplant.

She further advised patients with kidney failure to monitor their blood pressure, kidney function with urine and blood tests during regular checkups.

She said that signs and symptoms of kidney disease were often nonspecific, adding that such signs and symptoms could also be caused by other illnesses.

“Kidneys are highly adaptable and able to compensate for lost function; signs and symptoms may not appear until irreversible damage has occurred,” she said.