Chronic Kidney Disease and You - Part 2
Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease can vary, in most cases damage is caused by diabetes and high blood pressure. Diabetes occurs when your blood sugar is too high, resulting in damage to many organs and muscles in your body — including the kidneys and heart as well as blood vessels, nerves and eyes. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when the pressure of your blood increases against the walls of your blood vessels. If not controlled, high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes and chronic kidney disease.
In the first phases of CKD, there are often no symptoms. However, a simple urine test for small amounts of protein in the urine can detect early-stage kidney disease.
As the disease progresses, you might notice:
- More frequent urination, especially at night
- Difficult or painful urination
- Puffiness around eyes, swelling of hands and feet, especially in children
And urine or blood tests may reveal:
- Blood and/or protein in the urine
- A declining estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
You should talk to your health care provider if you think you might be at risk for kidney disease, they will provide you with the proper testing.
Testing includes urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) is a simple urine test that checks if your kidneys are leaking a protein called albumin into your urine. Healthy kidneys filter waste while keeping essential proteins like albumin in your blood. If your kidneys are damaged, albumin can leak into your urine, which may be a sign of kidney disease. For more information, visit NKF’s Albuminuria page in a new tab. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is a simple blood test that helps doctors see how well your kidneys are filtering out a waste product called creatinine. Doctors use the eGFR to check how well your kidneys are working. This test helps them know if your kidneys are healthy or showing signs of damage. A lower eGFR means your kidneys aren’t filtering waste as effectively as they should.
The uACR and eGFR tests help check if your kidneys are healthy. If you are at risk for kidney disease, it’s important to get both tests once a year. Kidney disease does not usually show signs until it’s advanced. Finding CKD early and getting treatment helps slow down kidney disease and keep you healthy!
Please contact your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about kidney disease.