Patient Education: The Facts about Chronic Kidney disease

The Facts About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

• Recent data suggests that up to 26 million American adults have CKD and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

• Early detection by simple screening tests can help slow progression of chronic kidney disease and renal failure.

• Disease of the circulatory system such as Stroke and Heart attack are the most common killers in people with CKD. Therefore if you have CKD you must have a thorough consultation for heart disease as well for the best outcome.

• A simple blood test is sometimes inaccurate ask your doctor what percentage of kidney function you have. This will require a measure of what is called G. F.R. which can either be calculated at no additional cost or can be measured by a simple procedure an thus detect previously undetectable kidney disease.

• If you are hypertensive you should be aware that you are at increased risk of CKD even if your blood pressure is 140/90 and "controlled".

• The reason that you are hypertensive maybe due to undiagnosed kidney disease.

• Although protein levels in the urine may fluctuate, persistent levels of protein in the urine should prompt an immediate evaluation for possible kidney disease, acute or chronic.

• Patient groups at the highest risk of CKD include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney disease.