Chronic #kidneydisease (CKD) affects around 37 million Americans. However, for a variety of reasons the disease can go undetected leading to series issues for patients. In the early stages of kidney disease, there might be no noticeable symptoms, or the symptoms could be subtle and nonspecific, such as fatigue, mild changes in urine pattern, or mild swelling. As a result, individuals might not realize that they have a kidney problem. Therefore, they may not seek medical help or tests that could help diagnose the problem. Patient communication can help increase awareness of the disease and promote early diagnosis.
Diagnosing Chronic Kidney Disease.
Many cases of kidney disease are discovered during routine medical check-ups. During these check-ups, healthcare providers may order standard blood and urine tests to assess kidney function. These tests can reveal abnormalities in kidney function, even if the patient is not experiencing noticeable symptoms.
#pharmaceutical companies and advocacy groups are helping to address problems with patient education programs, intended to draw further attention to CKD. However, because the disease does not get the attention other conditions often do, it can go undetected for years, boosting the risks of organ failure and even death. Recent efforts are being made to address that problem.
Patient Communication from AstraZeneca
In recent research, AstraZeneca has found that as many of 85% of the population with Stage 3 CKD (moderate) have the condition. It is developing patient communication programs, including direct to consumer (DTC) marketing campaigns to warn patients. Commenting on problems with diagnosis, Dr. Ruud Dobber, executive vice president of the biopharmaceuticals business unit at AstraZeneca, said, “New real-world evidence data presented at ERA 2023 build on existing research to paint a stark picture: chronic kidney disease is a global public health emergency that needs to be tackled immediately.” We need to take all steps possible to achieve that goal.