Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to page options Skip directly to site content

Chronic Kidney Disease

[kron-ik] [kid-nee] [dih-zeez]

3D Image of body featuring kidneys

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition in which your kidneys are sick and cannot clean the blood from wastes as well as healthy kidneys. Because of this, wastes from the blood remain in the body and may cause other health problems. People with early CKD do not feel ill or notice any symptoms. The only way to find out for sure whether you have CKD is through specific blood and urine tests. Once detected, CKD can be treated with medicines and lifestyle changes, including making healthier choices about what you eat and drink. These treatments usually slow the worsening of CKD, and can prevent additional health problems.

Quiz

Key Facts

  • Without treatment, your diseased kidneys may stop working after a time, a condition called kidney failure.
  • Kidney failure requires either regular dialysis or a kidney transplant.
  • Adults with diabetes and/or high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing CKD than those without these diseases.
  • Other risk factors for CKD include cardiovascular disease, obesity, high cholesterol, lupus, and a family history of CKD.
  • Your risk of having CKD also increases with age. Men with CKD are 50% more likely than women to have kidney failure.

Media

  • Family running through park

    A family history of CKD does increase your risk. Estimates show that approximately one in six African Americans has signs of kidney disease. African Americans are about three and a half times more likely to develop kidney disease than whites. Hispanics are about one and a half times more likely to develop kidney disease than non-Hispanics.

  • Two senior couples eating dinner

    Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Choose fresh, frozen, or dried fruit most of the time. Eat plenty of veggies like broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash and other green, leafy vegetables. Also, try black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, split peas, and lentils.

  • Two women power walking

    Preventing type 2 diabetes helps prevent kidney disease. Studies have shown that overweight people at risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight, or 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. You can do that by eating healthier and getting 150 minutes of physical activity each week.

  • Man having blood pressure checked

    Adults with diabetes, high blood pressure, or both have a higher risk of developing CKD than those without these diseases. Roughly 1 of 3 adults with diabetes and 1 of 5 adults with high blood pressure has CKD. Having kidney disease increases your chances of also having cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

  • Nurse consulting with senior man about medication

    If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, and are diagnosed with CKD, it is very important to keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under control (your doctor will tell you what ‘in control’ is for you) so that your kidneys do not fail.

Healthy Kidneys

Prevention Tips

  • The most efficient way to reduce personal suffering and financial costs of CKD is to prevent and treat its risk factors so that a person doesn’t get the disease at all.
  • Stay in your target blood sugar and cholesterol range.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables.
  • Stay physically active.
  • Take your medications as directed.
  • If you have diabetes, meet blood sugar targets as often as you can. Have an A1c test at least twice a year, but ideally up to four times a year. An A1c test measures the average level of blood sugar over the past three months.
  • If your blood pressure is high, check it regularly and get it under control to make sure your kidneys remain healthy.
  • Talk to your doctor about medicines and other ways to lower your blood pressure.

More at CDC.gov

TOP