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Assessing Your Risk

Could you or someone you care about be at risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD)? 

 

Many are at risk and don’t even know it. Risk factors include the following:

  • Diabetes

  • High blood pressure

  • Cardiovascular disease

  • Family history of kidney disease

  • Age of 55 or greater

If you may be at risk for kidney disease, consider scheduling a kidney screening with your general practitioner as part of your next check-up.

How can I find out if I have kidney disease?

Kidney disease can be discovered through lab tests or by symptoms. High levels of creatinine and urea in your blood tests and/or high levels of protein in your urine tests are predictive of kidney disease. Diabetics should have a yearly urine test for microalbumin, small amounts of protein that don't show up on standard urine protein tests.

If I have signs of kidney disease, what should I do?


After you have basic screening tests done, if you have signs of kidney disease you should ask for a referral to a nephrologist, a specialist in treating kidney disease. A nephrologist will perform an evaluation then suggest medications or lifestyle changes to help slow the progression of your kidney disease

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