Frequently asked questions for Desidustat
Desidustat
Q. What is Desidustat and what is it used for?
Desidustat is an oral tablet given for the treatment of anemia in adults with CKD, who are either on dialysis or not. It is a prescription medicine recently approved in India and can be taken only under the advice and guidance of a doctor.Q. What is chronic kidney disease or CKD?
Chronic kidney disease or CKD is a condition in which the kidneys are damaged and lose its ability to filter blood. As a result, excess waste from the blood remains in the body and may cause other health problems. Some of the risk factors of kidney disease are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and a family history of kidney failure.Q. What test can help me know if I have any kidney disease?
Your doctor may advise you to take a blood test to find out if you have kidney disease. The test measures the amount of waste product called creatinine in your blood. The doctor will use the blood test results, your age, gender, weight, and ethnic group to calculate how many milliliters of waste your kidneys should be able to filter in a minute. This calculation is known as your estimated glomerular filtration rate or eGFR. Healthy kidneys should be able to filter more than 90 mL/min. You may have kidney disease if your rate is lower than this.Q. How to prevent chronic kidney disease?
You are at risk for kidney disease if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure. If you have risk factors, it is advisable to get tested for kidney disease and protect your kidneys by changing your diet and lifestyle.Q. How is anemia related to chronic kidney disease?
Your kidneys make an important hormone called erythropoietin (EPO) that tells your body to make red blood cells. When you have kidney disease, kidneys fail to make enough EPO. Low EPO levels cause a drop in your red blood cell count leading to anemia.Q. Who is more likely to have anemia in CKD?
The risk for anemia increases when kidney disease gets worse. People with CKD who also have diabetes are at a greater risk for developing anemia, tend to develop anemia earlier, and often have more severe anemia than people with CKD who do not have diabetes. Apart from this, people aged over 60 years are also more likely to have anemia with CKD.Q. What are the symptoms of anemia in patients with CKD?
Some of the symptoms of anemia with CKD include fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, headache, bodyache, shortness of breath, and fast or irregular heartbeat.Q. What are the complications of anemia in patients with CKD?
In people with CKD, severe anemia can increase the risk of developing heart problems and strokes because of low oxygen levels in the body, which results from the decreasing level of red blood cells in the body.