Cardiologists Are Crucial To Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment

Sudden cardiac death, resistance to hypertension drugs and inadequate potassium—these are some of the issues that affect patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.

Over 3 lakh kidney cases are identified every year in India. Doctors have stressed that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) need to be treated by both cardiologists and nephrologists.

Two-Fold Approach Crucial To Success

Dr Pradeep Deshpande, Professor of Nephrology at Gandhi Medical College, explained, “Assessment of various cases recently have shown that cardiac diseases are also an independent factor for kidney problems and vice versa. This means that the patients who are suffering from kidney problems must also be referred to cardiologists and there must be a joint intervention in treating them.”

“This has come to light because of recurrent cases where  patients who are on dialysis or with CKD suffer a sudden heart attack and die. These incidents can be prevented if cardiac treatments are done in conjunction with kidney treatment.”

Better Management Makes Prevention Possible

Case studies over the last two decades have shown that patients who are on end-stage renal failure suffer from cardiac arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat. If these conditions are diagnosed early and treated, then death can be prevented.

Dr P Sharma, alumni of GMC explained, “There’s also a very strong need to look into the potassium levels and proteinuria of these patients. These are independent risk factors and if they are diagnosed well in time, then the life of the patient can be saved.”

A better approach for medical management of these patients is being advocated so that sudden death can be avoided.