Uncontrolled Diabetes Will Lead to Chronic Renal Failure

Uncontrolled Diabetes Will Lead to Chronic Renal Failure

Director of MUMS Center for Research on Consequences of Kidney Transplantation and faculty member of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences said, “Diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and urinary tract obstruction and infection are very prevalent in Iran and will lead to chronic renal failure (CRF) if left uncontrolled.”

According to Webda, Dr. Mojahedi emphasized the importance of prevention and noted that treatment of renal diseases is very difficult, costly and painful and it also takes a very long time.”

He added, “In the past, such factors as urinary tract infections and kidney stones caused renal failure but, fortunately, we have now passed that era and these rarely lead to CRF thanks to the available diagnostic and treatment methods. Iran is now approaching global trends and the statistics observed in Europe and the United States where diabetes forms one of the main causes of chronic renal failure, together with hypertension and kidney inflammations, control and treatment of which can prevent CRF to a great extent. A number of the factors causing chronic kidney disease are hereditary (e.g. polycystic kidney) and some are acquired, caused by factors such as diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension. In general, however, insufficient physical activity, obesity and inappropriate lifestyle have increased prevalence of CRF.”

Dr. Mojahedi stressed the importance of examining kidney disease causative factors and said, “Diabetes and high blood pressure are on the rise due to lifestyle changes in our society, and they pave the way for CRF. If not controlled properly and timely, disorders such as diabetes and hypertension will bring about complications in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal systems; and their timely diagnosis is of great importance accordingly.”

In response to a question about the notion that ‘all diabetics will eventually contract chronic renal failure’ he said, “This is by no means true if diabetes is well controlled. However, with a late diagnosis or not strictly controlled blood sugar, renal complications will be inevitable.”

Dr. Mojahedi also referred to the status of hypertension in Iran, saying, “Many people suffer from high blood pressure but, according to the statistics, one third of them are unaware of their problem which may be due to the fact that the disease is symptomless in the early stages. It is dubbed ‘mysterious killer’ because it leads its victims quietly to the brink of death. Another one third of hypertensive patients are aware of it, but either do not follow dietary or pharmaceutical recommendations or do not receive adequate and proper treatment at all.”