Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should.
The main risk factors for developing kidney disease are diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and a family history of kidney failure.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of kidney disease.
Your health care provider may do tests to find out why you have kidney disease. The cause of your kidney disease may affect the type of treatment you receive.
Testing may be the only way to know if you have kidney disease. Get checked if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure.
The sooner you know you have kidney disease, the sooner you can get treatment.
You can take steps to protect your kidneys. The most important step you can take to treat kidney disease is to control your blood pressure. Healthy habits can also help you manage your kidney disease.
Eating the right foods can help keep your kidney disease from getting worse. Work with a dietitian to create a meal plan that includes foods that you enjoy eating while maintaining your kidney health.
You are at risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure.
If you have risk factors, get tested for kidney disease and protect your kidneys by making healthy food choices, being more active, aiming for a healthy weight, and managing health conditions that cause kidney damage.
Kidney failure means that your kidneys have lost most of their ability to function.
Work with your health care team and family to consider your options to replace your lost kidney function, such as dialysis or transplant. Choose a treatment that is right for you.
For more information about chronic kidney disease, please check this video:
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about kidney cancer: 5 things you need to know, and findings of drug duo that may treat kidney failure.
For more information about kidney disease, please see recent studies about common eating habits that may harm your kidney health, and results showing why processed foods trigger chronic kidney disease.
