1. Why is the health of the kidneys important
2. What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
3. What causes CKD?
4. What area other conditions that affect the kidneys?
5. What are the symptoms of CKD?
6. How do I know I am at risk for CKD?
7. How can I find out if I am at risk?
8. Why are African Americans and other ethnic groups at increased risk for chronic kidney disease?
9. What should I do?
10. What are the symptoms of CKD?
11. What happens if my test results show I may have chronic kidney disease?
12. How can CKD progression be prevented?

1. Why is the health of the kidneys important?

• The kidneys are responsible for regulating the body’s fluid volume, mineral composition, and acidity by excreting and reabsorbing water and inorganic electrolytes.
• This helps to balance and keep the normal concentration of electrolytes (such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, phosphate and hydrogen) in the body.
• The kidney’s function to maintain the body fluid volumes is also related to the regulation of the blood volume and the blood pressure in your arteries.
• The kidneys also perform the following important functions:


• Remove wastes and fluid from your body.
• Regulate body water and other chemicals in your blood such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium.
• Remove drugs and toxins introduced into your body.
• Release hormones into your blood stream to help your body perform these tasks:


• Regulate blood pressure,
• Make red blood cells,
• Promote strong bones.

2. What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?

• Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys can no longer perform it normal functions leading to persistent protein, or proteinuria, occurring in the urine.
• CKD can be caused by conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease the ability of the kidneys to perform the functions listed above. 
• As kidney disease progresses, wastes can build up to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick.
• Chronic kidney disease may cause you to develop complications such as:


• high blood pressure,
• anemia (low blood count),
• weak bones,
• poor nutritional health, and
• nerve damage.
• Kidney disease may increase your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease, which occur slowly over many years. 
• CKD may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders.
• The key to help prevent CKD from getting worse is “early detection” and “treatment”.
• As kidney disease gets worse it may lead to kidney failure. This condition will require dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.

3. What causes CKD?

• The two main causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure.
• These two conditions alone are responsible for up to two-thirds of the cases of CKD.
• Diabetes happens when your blood sugar is too high, causing damage to many organs in your body, including the kidneys and heart, as well as blood vessels, nerves eyes, and gums.
• High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases.
• If not controlled, high blood pressure can be a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, and chronic kidney disease.
• Additionally, chronic kidney disease can cause high blood pressure.

4. What area other conditions that affect the kidneys?

Other conditions that might affect the kidneys are:

• Glomerulonephritis, a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidney’s filtering units. These disorders are the third most common type of kidney disease
• Inherited diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, which causes large cysts to form in the kidneys and damage the surrounding tissue.
• Malformations that occur as a baby develops in its mother’s womb. For example, a narrowing may occur that prevents normal outflow of urine and causes urine to flow back up to the kidney. This causes infections and may damage the kidneys.
• Lupus and other diseases that affect the body’s immune system.
• Obstructions caused by problems like kidney stones, tumors or an enlarged prostate gland in men.
• Repeated urinary infections.

5. What are the symptoms of CKD?

Most people may not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. However, you may notice that you:

• Fell more tired and have less energy
• Have trouble concentrating
• Have a poor appetite
• Have trouble sleeping
• Have muscle cramping at night
• Have swollen feet and ankles
• Have puffiness around your eyes, especially in the morning
• Have dry, itchy skin
• Need to urinate more often, especially at night

6. How do I know I am at risk for CKD?

Anyone can get chronic kidney disease at any age. However, some people are more likely than others to develop kidney disease. You may have an increased risk for kidney disease if you if you have the risk factors listed in #7 below.

7. How can I find out if I am at risk?

Your doctor or clinic should check to see if you have any risk factors for chronic kidney disease. These risk factors include:

8. Why are African Americans and other racial and ethnic groups at increased risk for chronic kidney disease?

Diabetes, the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, is more common in these groups. Also, high blood pressure, the second leading cause of chronic kidney disease, appears more often in African Americans than in other racial and ethnic groups. Many experts believe these groups may have an inherited tendency to develop these diseases. When combined with other things, such as being overweight, this tendency may lead to disease. Keeping or achieving a normal weight and getting enough physical activity is vital for these groups to help prevent diabetes and high blood pressure.

9. What should I do?

You should visit your doctor or clinic and get tested. Your checkup should include the following:

• Assessment of your blood pressure.
• A simple test for protein in your urine.

Protein is an important building block in your body. Any filtered protein is normally reabsorbed and kept in your body. When your kidneys are damaged, however, protein leaks into your urine. There are different tests to find protein in your urine. If you have two positive tests over several weeks, you are said to have persistent protein in your urine. This is a sign of chronic kidney disease.

• Creatinine is a waste product that comes from muscle activity and is excreted through the kidneys. Your kidneys normally remove creatinine from your blood. When your kidneys are damaged, however, your blood creatinine may build to a high level. The results of your blood creatinine test should be used to estimate your glomerular filtration rate, or GFR. Your GFR tells how much kidney function you have.

10. What are the symptoms of CKD?

Most people do not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease gets worse. However, you may on or more of the following symptoms:

• Feel more tired
• Have less energy
• Have trouble thinking clearly
• Have a poor appetite
• Have trouble sleeping
• Have dry, itchy skin
• Have muscle cramping at night
• Have swollen feet and legs
• Have puffiness around the eyes, especially in the morning
• Need to urinate more often, especially at night

11. What happens if my test results show I may have chronic kidney disease?

If your test indicate that you have CKD, your doctor will want to conduct further calculations to check your kidney function and to plan your treatment.  These tests include:

• Glomerular filtration rate (GFR)


• The GFR is the best way to tell how much kidney (or renal) function you have.
• Click here to learn more about Your Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR).
• You do not need to have another test to know your GFR. Your doctor can calculate it from your blood creatinine, your age, race, gender and other factors.
• Your GFR tells your doctor your stage of kidney disease and helps the doctor plan your treatment.
• Click here ( http://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/ckd/knowGFR.cfm ) to also learn about common lab tests for CKD.
• An ultrasound or CT scan


• This test provides a picture of your kidneys and urinary tract.
• The study tells your doctor whether your kidneys are too large or too small, whether you have a problem like a kidney stone or tumor, and whether there are any problems in the structure of your kidneys and urinary tract.
• A kidney biopsy


• This procedure is done in some cases to check for a specific type of kidney disease, see how much kidney damage has occurred, and help plan your treatment for the disease.
• To do a biopsy, the doctor removes small pieces of kidney tissue with a needle and looks at the tissue under a microscope.

Your doctor may also ask you to see a kidney specialist who will consult on your case and help manage your care.

12. How can CKD progression be prevented?

Early detection and treatment can often delay or stop chronic kidney disease. How well your treatment can achieve this goal depends on the following four factors:

• The stage of your chronic kidney disease when treatment is started.
• How well you adhere to and follow the prescribed treatment plan.
• Your knowledge and awareness about the disease.
• The cause of your kidney disease.