About Chronic Kidney Disease
The kidneys are one of the hardest-working organs in the body, where a million tiny filters called nephrons which work together to filter the blood to convert waste products and excess fluid into urine.
The kidneys, heart and metabolic system are interconnected. Kidney, heart and metabolic conditions therefore co-exist and can amplify one another, resulting in a significant burden on peoples’ lives. For example, they are linked to one another through blood flow, hormones and the central nervous system.
The progressive loss of kidney function over time is one aspect of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is a very common condition affecting more than ten percent of the global population. Due to its silent nature, many people go undiagnosed. This means millions of people die prematurely from CKD and related complications every year.
What causes chronic kidney disease?
Certain people are at an increased risk of developing CKD. This includes those:
- living with metabolic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure
- with a history of kidney conditions (e.g. infection, cysts or inflammation)
- with a family history of CKD
- who are older in age
What are the symptoms of chronic kidney disease?
When kidney disease first starts to develop, most cases are asymptomatic (no symptoms), but as damage to the kidneys worsens, symptoms can include:
- fatigue
- swollen ankles, feet, or hands
- shortness of breath
- feeling sick
- urinating more or less often than usual
- itchy or dry skin
How is chronic kidney disease diagnosed?
Professional guidelines recommend the use of two tests to diagnose CKD:
- A blood test checks how well the kidneys are filtering blood, using a metric called estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
- A urine test checks for both albumin and creatinine in the urine, known as an albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR).
There are several benefits of using two tests to screen people at risk for CKD. A UACR urine test, when combined with an eGFR blood test, can help detect and treat CKD early, thereby helping:
- Stage and stratify risk of CKD progression, cardiovascular events, kidney failure and death.
- Address health disparities in CKD diagnosis and care.
- Reduce the overall burden on the healthcare system by reducing costs associated with CKD.
People with high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions are at higher risk of CKD and should be screened according to healthcare guideline recommendations.