Kidney disease affects almost 2% of the population. Deaths from kidney disease are approximately 50,000 annually. The problem, as with most diseases, is that symptoms do not exist until one is in the advanced stage (and then, it is too late to treat).
Diabetes and high blood pressure, over time, cause damage to the kidneys.
If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, ask about your kidneys at your next doctor’s appointment.
Kidney disease from diabetes or high blood pressure does not go away. Instead, it gets worse.. If not treated, kidney disease can lead to kidney failure, where your only options are dialysis or a kidney transplant. It can also lead to death.
Remember, early kidney disease does not make you feel sick. The only way to know if you have kidney disease is to get tested. The sooner you catch kidney disease, the sooner you can take steps to keep your kidneys healthier longer.
Take the first step and talk to your doctor or nurse about your kidneys. Ask if you should be tested for kidney disease.
Risk factors for kidney disease
Diabetes (sometimes called "sugar") and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney disease. High blood pressure and diabetes can damage your kidneys over time, without you knowing it. People with diabetes and high blood pressure need to get tested regularly for kidney disease.
You are also at risk for kidney disease if you have:
• you have heart (cardiovascular) disease; OR
• your mother, father, sister, or brother has kidney disease; OR
• your doctor has said you have protein in your urine (protein can leak into the urine when the kidneys are not working well).
African Americans are at high risk for kidney failure. In large part, this is due to higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure in the African American community, although there may be other reasons.
If you have any of these risk factors, talk to your doctor about getting tested for kidney disease.
Blood and urine tests are used to find kidney disease.
Tests for kidney disease
• A blood test helps your doctor measure your GFR,* which tells you how well your kidneys are working.
• A urine test measures the amount of protein in your urine, which checks for kidney damage.
*GFR stands for "glomerular filtration rate."
Take these steps to protect your kidneys
1. Keep your kidneys healthy by managing your diabetes and high blood pressure. You can do this by:
- eating healthy,
- staying active, and
- taking medicines as prescribed.
2. Ask your doctor or health care provider to test your blood and urine for kidney disease.
3. If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor or nurse about treatment options. Medicines called ACE inhibitors and ARBs can help keep your kidneys healthier longer.
Make sure your doctor tells you:
• your GFR,
• how much protein is in your urine, and
• your blood pressure.
Resources
About kidney disease:
Call the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) toll free at 1-866-4 KIDNEY (1-866-454-3639), or go online at www.nkdep.nih.gov. More kidney information also is available at www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov.
About diabetes:
Contact the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) at 1-800-438-5383, or visit www.ndep.nih.gov.
About high blood pressure:
Contact the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) at 1-800-575-WELL (1-800-575-9355), or visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/nhbpep.
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