Current Management Strategies of Chronic Kidney Disease in Resource-Limited Countries

• Published in: International journal of nephrology and renovascular disease Vol. 13; pp. 239 - 251
• Main Authors: Ameh, Oluwatoyin Idaomeh, Ekrikpo, Udeme, Bello, Aminu, Okpechi, Ikechi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Care and treatment; chronic kidney disease; Chronic kidney failure; Clinical medicine; Communicable diseases; Creatinine; Diabetes mellitus; Disease prevention; early detection and prevention; early referral; GDP; Gross Domestic Product; Health care delivery; Health care reform; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Hypertension; Kidney diseases; kidney replacement therapy; lmics; Low income groups; Mortality; Nephrology; non-communicable diseases; Patients; Physicians; Population; Prevention; Public health; Renal failure; Review; Risk factors; Strategic planning (Business); Type 2 diabetes; Validation studies; South Africa; Nigeria; Sub-Saharan Africa; India; Africa; non-communicable diseases; early detection and prevention; chronic kidney disease; LMICs; early referral; kidney replacement therapy
• ISSN: 1178-7058; 1178-7058
• DOI: 10.2147/IJNRD.S242235

The incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure continues to increase worldwide, especially in resource-limited countries. Many countries in this category already have a massive burden of communicable diseases, as well as socio-economic and socio-demographic challenges. The rising CKD burden and exorbitant economic cost associated with treatment are mainly responsible for the alarming mortality rate associated with kidney disease in these regions. There is often poor risk factor (diabetes and hypertension) and CKD awareness in these countries and limited availability and affordability of treatment options. Given these observations, early disease detection and preventive measures remain the best options for disease management in resource-limited settings. Primary, secondary and tertiary preventive strategies need to be enhanced and should particularly include measures to increase awareness, regular assessment to detect hypertension, diabetes and albuminuria, options for early referral of identified patients to a nephrologist and options for conservative kidney management where kidney replacement therapies may not be available or indicated. Much is still needed to be done by governments in these regions, especially regarding healthcare funding, improving the primary healthcare systems and enhancing non-communicable disease detection and treatment programs as these will have effects on kidney care in these regions.