Flood of dialysis patients: "Why are there so many"... Lifestyle habits to protect your kidneys?

When there is a dialysis patient in the family, the family members also struggle. Seeing patients who have to stay connected to machines for four hours at a time, three to four times a week, going to hospitals or clinics and lying down, breaks my heart. The problem is that the rate of increase in dialysis patients in Korea is too steep. The social costs are growing increasingly. Let’s revisit the importance of dialysis and kidney health with a sense of urgency.

18,000 new patients pour in annually...

End-stage renal failure patients who require dialysis are increasing every year. The number of new patients annually is about 18,000. The total number of patients on dialysis exceeds 137,000. Over the past 10 years, this has roughly doubled (Korean Society of Nephrology 2024 data). The families supporting dialysis patients are growing increasingly exhausted. Seeing patients lying down exhausted after dialysis naturally makes one sigh. The rate of increase of dialysis patients in Korea is the fastest in the world. Why is it increasing so rapidly?

The kidneys that filter waste from the body become damaged...

Why do people undergo dialysis? It is because the kidney (renal) function drops below 10% of that of a healthy person, making it impossible to sustain life. The kidneys, which filter waste products from the body and regulate water balance, are unable to function properly. These are patients with end-stage renal disease (renal failure). They require therapies that replace kidney function, such as hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation. The most common cause of end-stage renal failure is diabetes mellitus (46%). Next are hypertension (22%) and glomerulonephritis (11%). Recently, due to changes in eating habits, the number of people with diabetes has increased, leading to a rise in those experiencing kidney problems.

Kidney transplantation is the solution...

The way to restore kidney function without dialysis is kidney transplantation. However, only about 2,000 cases are performed each year. Many patients have no choice but to rely on dialysis machines, even if it is difficult. Hemodialysis conducted in artificial kidney rooms accounts for 95%, while peritoneal dialysis accounts for 5%. Dialysis is covered by health insurance. Peritoneal dialysis that can be done at home can increase patient survival rates and reduce costs. However, there are quite a few people who are unaware that home treatment (peritoneal dialysis) exists.

"Why do I need to undergo dialysis?" ... Symptoms of kidney deterioration and prevention methods?

Even when the kidneys are so damaged that dialysis is necessary, symptoms are rarely present. It is easy to ignore swelling and fatigue that accumulate in the body. Since normal urination is still possible, many people are surprised and wonder, "Why do I need dialysis?" For kidney health, preventing and managing underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension is important. Both direct smoking and secondhand smoke, which are the worst for blood vessels, should be avoided. Early detection of chronic kidney disease and monitoring the progression to end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis are crucial, which can be done through urine protein tests and checking the glomerular filtration rate included in national health screenings.

It's really amazing to hear that 18,000 new patients pour in each year.

They say dialysis is really painful...ㅠ.ㅠ

The reason kidneys deteriorate is that diabetes and high blood pressure need to be well managed.

Above all, smoking!!!!!! Cigarettes!!!!! Direct smoking and secondhand smoke!!!! They say it's a direct hit.

Beware of smokers!! Avoid them!! Stay away!!