Kidney disease can strike anyone at any age.
An estimated 2 million Canadians have kidney disease, or are at risk.
Each day, an average of 14 Canadians learns that their kidneys have failed.
If kidney failure is not treated, people die within days or weeks.
In 2005, there were 32,375 Canadians on renal replacement therapy and this number is expected to double over the next 10 years.
Over half of all new patients in 2005 were 65 years or older.
The three leading causes of kidney failure in new patients are:
Diabetes – 35%;
Renal Vascular Disease (including high blood pressure) – 19.5%;
Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the tiny filters in the kidney which clean the blood) – 11.5%.
Among the 32,375 patients on renal replacement therapy on December 31, 2005:
12,654 or 39% had a functioning transplant;
19,721 or 61% were on dialysis.
Among the 19,721 patients on dialysis at year-end 2005:
16,047 or 81% were on hemodialysis
3,674 or 19% were on peritoneal dialysis.
The sale and purchase of organs for transplant is illegal in Canada.
Of the 4,240 Canadians on the waiting list for a transplant (as of December 2006), 3,075 were awaiting a kidney transplant.