Kidney patients may suffer irreparable losses in case of carelessness

Rawalpindi:Medically the patients having kidneys with decreased function and those who are suffering from any of the kidney diseases may develop severe complications leading to irreparable loss in case they do not take extra care while opting for a month-long fasting in the holy month of Ramazan.

According to health experts, kidney patients who are unaware of their health conditions are at greater risk of suffering irreparable losses more often particularly when they opt for fasting without prior consultation with their physicians.

Experts say that the most important thing for a patient with decreased function of kidneys is to avoid dehydration while fasting because dehydration is considered as one of the most common causes of acute kidney injury, the sudden loss of kidney function that is also called as acute renal failure. Acute renal failure is a life threatening condition and it must be avoided. Experts say that to minimise losses, there is a need to create awareness among the public about the importance of the functions that kidneys perform.

It is important that kidney diseases are considered as the silent killers that affect the quality of life of a patient to a great extent. There are many forms of kidney diseases like urinary tract infections, cyst around kidneys, kidney stones, acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is particularly dangerous because a patient of CKD may not have any symptoms until considerable, often irreparable damage to the kidney has occurred.

Experts say that the patients suffering from type 1 or type 2 diabetes and those suffering from hypertension are at greater risk of suffering from kidney damage if they do not take extra care while fasting. Studies reveal that diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD.

Kidneys perform a number of life-sustaining roles in the body from cleansing blood from waste and toxins to maintaining balance of salt and minerals in the body and thus regulating blood pressure. To keep all these functions smooth, it is a must for a patient of decreased kidney function to undergo complete medical check-up before opting for fasting for a month or should immediately report to the nearest healthcare facility in case of developing any complication.

Studies reveal that with the damage to kidneys, waste products and excess fluid starts building up in the body causing swelling in ankles, vomiting, weakness, poor sleep and shortness of breath. In case of having any of these symptoms, experts say that a patient must consult a qualified physician before continuing fasting.

The patients with CKD or having any of the symptoms of damage to kidneys must consult their physicians and undergo complete examination while opting for fasting for a month. If these symptoms are left untreated, the diseased kidneys may stop functioning completely, which is potentially a serious and life-threatening condition.

Experts say that patients suffering from urinary tract infections, milder kidney stones and cyst can fast during Ramazan but to avoid complications, they better opt for fasting after advice from their physicians. Also if the kidney stones are silent and are not causing pain, the patient can fast but if there is pain due to stone, the patient should seek treatment instead of opting for fasting without medical advice.