Kidney disease on the rise, experts sayPosted 7 hours 21 minutes ago
Medical experts are concerned more Australians are being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in their early to mid-20s.
About 400 delegates to an international conference in Hobart have heard dialysis alone costs $100,000 a year per patient.
Renal unit chief at Royal Hobart Hospital Dr Matthew Jose says preventative measures are the key to easing the pressure on the health system.
"All these people are at risk of kidney disease and unless something's done about it in 10, 20 years time we're just going to be inundated with all these people with kidney disease," he said.
"The answer is not just to provide dialysis machines for everybody, it's really about early detection, early treatment and prevention."
The conference heard most people with kidney disease do not realise they are ill until it is too late.
Renal experts told the conference the disease often goes undetected until 90 per cent of the kidney has failed, and by this stage expensive dialysis is the only option for patients.
Dr Jose says the rising rate of people with late-stage kidney disease also means long waiting lists for those needing a transplant.
"Tasmanians have almost the longest wait in the country," he said.
"We're combined with the Victorian system and our patients can have to wait up to seven or eight years.
"We've got a couple of people that have been waiting for a kidney for nearly 10 years."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/07/2679081.htm
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