C
hronic kidney disease (CKD) is
a condition in which your kid-
neys are damaged and can’t filter
wastes from your blood as well as
healthy kidneys (kidney disease is chronic
if it lasts for 3 months or longer). Because
of this, wastes from the blood remain in the
body and may cause other health problems.
People in the early stages of CKD may 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, includ-
ing making healthy choices about what you
eat and drink. These treatments can slow the
worsening of CKD, and can help prevent
additional health problems.
KEY FACTS
• Adults with diabetes, high blood pres-
sure, or both have a higher risk of
developing CKD than those without
these conditions.
• Other risk factors for CKD include
heart disease, obesity, lupus, and
a family history of CKD or kidney
failure.
• Risk of developing CKD increases with age.
• Without treatment, damaged kidneys
may stop working, a condition called
kidney failure.
• Not all patients with CKD progress to
kidney failure and, in some patients,
•
•
CKD progresses to kidney failure even
with proper treatment.
Among people with CKD, men are 64%
more likely than women to develop
kidney failure.
People with kidney failure need either
regular dialysis or a kidney transplant
to survive.
PREVENTION TIPS
The best way to prevent or delay CKD
is to prevent, treat, and manage its risk
factors, such as diabetes and high blood
pressure:
• Monitor your A1C, blood pressure, and
cholesterol levels to keep your kidneys
healthy.
• Manage your blood sugar, blood pres-
sure, and cholesterol by:
• Eating more fruits and vegetables.
• Staying physically active.
• Taking your medications as
directed.
• Getting regular checkups.
• Monitor your A1C, blood pressure, and
cholesterol levels to keep your kidneys
healthy.
• If you have diabetes, have an A1C
test at least twice a year. An A1C test
measures the average level of blood
sugar over the past 3 months.
• Talk to your doctor about medicines
and other ways to manage your A1C,
blood pressure, and cholesterol.
https://www.cdc.gov/dotw/ckd/
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