Disclaimer: The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical attention offline.
As night fell, the hustle and bustle of the city gradually subsided. Dr. Lee walked out of the hospital gate wearily and took a deep breath of fresh air.
Today is another busy day, he has just finished dialysis for a uremia patient.
The patient, a 45-year-old business executive, was forced to travel back and forth to the hospital three times a week for treatment, when he was supposed to have a successful career and a happy family.
Dr. Lee sighed, the desperate look in his patient's eyes.
He couldn't help but wonder: could such a tragedy have been avoided?
Dr. Lee decided to devote his spare time to in-depth research on uremia prevention and early intervention.
He reviewed a large number of literature and found that the number of uremia patients has shown an upward trend in recent years, especially among middle-aged and elderly people. The discovery shocked and worried him.
He began to wonder: what is causing this? Can we reduce our risk by making lifestyle changes?
With these questions in mind, Dr. Lee embarked on an unusual journey of investigation. He visited the nephrology departments of several hospitals and interviewed numerous specialists and patients. In the process, he gradually discovered some thought-provoking patterns.
Professor Zhang, director of the nephrology department at a tertiary hospital, presented Dr. Li with a worrying statistic: "According to the latest epidemiological survey, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in mainland China has reached 10.8%, which means that 1 in 10 adults has chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is one of the main causes of uremia. "
Dr. Li frowned: "This number is indeed shocking. So, what is the main reason for this?"
"There are many factors, including an ageing population, an increase in chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, and unhealthy lifestyles. It is particularly noteworthy that many people are prone to develop bad habits after the age of 60 that may accelerate the decline in kidney function. "
Dr. Lee asked, "Can you elaborate on these bad habits?"
Professor Zhang nodded and began to explain in detail:
1. Long-term urine holding: In order to avoid frequent wake-ups at night, many elderly people will choose to reduce water intake or force the urge to urinate. This practice increases the risk of urinary tract infections and can lead to impaired kidney function in the long term.
2. Excessive calcium supplementation: As we age, many people begin to pay attention to calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporosis. However, excessive calcium supplementation may lead to hypercalcemia, which increases the risk of kidney stone formation, which in turn affects kidney function.
3. Abuse of painkillers: Elderly people often take painkillers for a long time due to problems such as joint pain. Some pain relievers, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may damage the kidneys when used in large amounts over a long period of time.
4. Unreasonable use of traditional Chinese medicine: Some elderly people are keen to take various tonic Chinese medicines, believing that they can strengthen their health. In fact, certain TCM ingredients may cause damage to the kidneys, especially in people with pre-existing renal insufficiency.
Dr. Lee carefully recorded this information, and he realized that these seemingly ordinary lifestyle habits could have such a big impact on kidney health. He decided to dig deeper to learn more about prevention and early intervention.
Over the next few months, Dr. Lee visited a number of specialists and collected a large number of cases. He met patients like Mr. Wang, who eventually developed chronic nephritis due to recurrent urinary tract infections caused by long-term urine holding.
I have also seen cases like Ms. Zhao, who caused kidney stones due to excessive calcium supplementation, which in turn affected kidney function.
Through these investigations, Dr. Lee has identified some important prevention recommendations:
1. Maintain adequate water intake and develop good urination habits.
2. Supplement calcium reasonably and avoid excessive intake. Calcium can be supplemented with a balanced diet and moderate sun exposure.
3. Be cautious with painkillers, especially if taken for a long time. If it is necessary, it should be done under the guidance of a doctor.
4. Be cautious in the use of traditional Chinese medicine, especially in people with known renal insufficiency. Consult a healthcare professional before use.
5. Have regular physical examinations and pay attention to kidney function indicators. Early detection of problems and timely intervention.
6. Control chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which are important risk factors for kidney disease.
7. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a reasonable diet, moderate exercise, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol, etc.
Dr. Li compiled these findings into a popular science article and published it on the hospital's official account. As soon as the article was published, it attracted widespread attention and discussion. Many readers said they had never realized how these daily habits could have such a big impact on kidney health.
A reader named Ms. Chen commented, "Thank you Dr. Li for the article, which made me realize some of my wrong habits. I'm 62 years old, and I always thought that drinking less water would reduce the number of nighttime wakes up, but I didn't expect it to hurt my kidneys. I'll fix this habit right away. "
Another reader, Mr. Wu, shared his experience: "I used to take painkillers for a long time because of joint pain. After reading this article, I realized that this could affect kidney function. I have made an appointment for a doctor's consultation and am ready to look for other alternative treatment options. "
Dr. Lee's article has not only attracted the attention of the general public, but has also been recognized by peers in the medical community. Several experts have spoken highly of his research as important for raising public awareness of kidney health.
Encouraged by Dr. Lee's decision to expand the scope of his research further, he began to collaborate with other hospitals and research institutes to conduct a large-scale epidemiological investigation. The aim of this survey is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the incidence trends and influencing factors of kidney disease in the Chinese population.
The results of the survey show that in addition to the above four bad habits, there are also some factors that are closely related to the occurrence of kidney disease:
1. High-salt diet: Long-term high-salt diet can increase the risk of high blood pressure, which in turn can affect kidney function.
2. Sedentary lifestyle: Lack of exercise can lead to obesity and increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, which are all risk factors for kidney disease.
3. Lack of sleep: Long-term sleep deprivation may affect blood pressure regulation and indirectly affect kidney health.
4. Excessive stress: Long-term high pressure may affect the endocrine system and indirectly affect kidney function.
Based on these findings, Dr. Lee further refined the prevention recommendations and began to conduct health education activities in the community. He is convinced that only by making more people aware and valued about kidney health can the incidence of uremia be truly reduced.
At a community lecture, Dr. Li was impressed by an elderly man's question.
The old man asked, "Doctor, I heard that drinking alcohol is not good for the kidneys, is it true?"
Dr. Lee replied, "You asked a very good question. It is true that excessive alcohol consumption can cause damage to the kidneys. Alcohol increases urine production, leading to dehydration and placing an additional burden on the kidneys. Long-term heavy alcohol consumption may also lead to high blood pressure, which is an important risk factor for kidney disease.
It is recommended that if you drink alcohol, you should also drink in moderation, no more than 25 grams of pure alcohol per day for men (equivalent to 750 ml of beer or 50 ml of liquor), and less for women. "
The answer sparked a lively discussion, with many saying they never realized that drinking alcohol could also affect kidney health. Dr Lee took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of a holistic and healthy lifestyle.
With the deepening of research and publicity, Dr. Li is pleased to find that more and more people are beginning to pay attention to kidney health. The hospital's medical examination center reported a significant increase in the number of people requesting to have their kidney function checked.
Community health centers have also reported that more and more residents are coming to consult about kidney disease prevention.
However, Dr. Lee didn't stop there. He realised that to really reduce the incidence of uremia, a broader perspective was needed. He began to pay attention to the impact of environmental factors on kidney health, such as air pollution, water quality problems, etc.
He also began to study how to incorporate kidney disease prevention knowledge into school education and cultivate health awareness from an early age.
Dr. Lee's efforts have been recognized by all sectors of society. His research has been featured in several medical journals and he has been invited to speak at several international conferences.
What's more, his work has made a real difference in the lives of many people, helping them stay away from the threat of uremia.
Looking back on this experience, Dr. Lee is filled with emotion.
He deeply understands that the responsibility of doctors is not only to treat diseases, but more importantly, to prevent diseases and improve the health of the whole people.
He firmly believes that as long as everyone can pay attention to their kidney health and develop good lifestyle habits, the gradual increase in uremia patients will be curbed.
On this night, when Dr. Lee walked out of the hospital gate again, his heart was filled with hope. He knows that there is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done.
The eyes of the desperate patient in the ward were always in his mind, motivating him to keep going.
He secretly vowed to use his professional knowledge and unremitting efforts to light the light of health for more people, so that the alarm bell of life will ring in everyone's heart.