Chronic Kidney Disease (original) (raw)

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Summary

You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. Their main job is to filter your blood. They remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. They also keep the body's chemicals balanced, help control blood pressure, and make hormones.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means that your kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood as they should. This damage can cause wastes to build up in your body. It can also cause other problems that can harm your health. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD.

The kidney damage occurs slowly over many years. Many people don't have any symptoms until their kidney disease is very advanced. Blood and urine tests are the only way to know if you have kidney disease.

Treatments cannot cure kidney disease, but they may slow kidney disease. They include medicines to lower blood pressure, control blood sugar, and lower cholesterol. CKD may still get worse over time. Sometimes it can lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplantation.

You can take steps to keep your kidneys healthier longer:

• Choose foods with less salt (sodium)
• Control your blood pressure; your health care provider can tell you what your blood pressure should be
• Keep your blood sugar in the target range, if you have diabetes
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Choose foods that are healthy for your heart: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Be physically active
• Don't smoke

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Chronic Kidney Disease (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) (National Kidney Foundation)

• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) (American Kidney Fund) Also in Spanish

• What Is Chronic Kidney Disease? (National Kidney Disease Education Program) Also in Spanish

• At Risk for Kidney Disease? (National Kidney Disease Education Program) Also in Spanish

• Dandelion (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)

• Herbal Supplements and Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation) Also in Spanish

• Fibronectin glomerulopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

• Kidney School (Life Options Rehabilitation Program)

• FastStats: Kidney Disease (National Center for Health Statistics)

• Kidney Disease Statistics for the United States (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Renal Insufficiency, Chronic (National Institutes of Health)

• Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

• Your Kidneys and How They Work (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish

• Pregnancy and Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation)

• ACE inhibitors (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Chronic kidney disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish