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chronic kidney disease is often called the “silent killer” because, like an assassin, it sneaks up on you without warning. one minute you’re feeling fine, the next you’re coping with a life-threatening condition. but the kidneys are such hard-working little organs that health professionals have long believed that healthy, young adults don’t need to worry about kidney function unless it drops to about 50 per cent of normal levels.
researchers for the study, published in the british medical journal , analyzed health record data collected between 2008 to 2021 by the institute for clinical evaluative sciences (ices) of more than eight million adults in ontario aged 18 to 65 who had at least one blood test for kidney function but who had no history of kidney disease.
in the 18-to-39-year age group, 18 per cent had modestly low kidney function but not low enough to be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. still, for these individuals, a 20 to 30 percent loss in kidney function was associated with a 1.4-fold increase in death, 1.3-fold increase in a cardiac event, and a 6-fold increase in kidney failure , according to a news release.
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but it is a wake-up call for all canadians, since one in 10 of us are living with kidney disease, according to the kidney foundation of canada . and although we may not notice it creeping up on us, the first signs and symptoms we should be aware of can include fatigue, loss of appetite, itching, nausea and shortness of breath. the good news is, a simple blood test is all it takes to put your mind at ease. the bad news is, such a test is not routinely offered.
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