Chronic Kidney Disease
Your blood results may have recently suggested that you have a condition called chronic kidney disease or CKD. This is a long-term condition where the kidneys don’t work as well as they should. CKD is common and it affects around 10% (1 in 10) of the population. For most people it is mild and does not become severe, and it is not common for the kidneys to stop working altogether. Most people with CKD have no symptoms and do not need specialist help and advice.
Causes of CKD
There are lots of causes of CKD including:
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Kidney infections
- Kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis)
- Blockages in the flow of urine - for example, from kidney stones or an enlarged prostate
- Long term use of certain medications, such as lithium of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Diagnosis of CKD and stage of the disease
CKD can be diagnosed using blood and urine tests, the results of which can also tell us the stage of your kidney disease. This stage number shows how severe the damage to your kidneys is, with a higher number being more serious CKD. It is useful for us to be aware of CKD and its severity when prescribing medications.
Treatment of CKD
Treatment for CKD is aimed at slowing progression and protecting your kidneys. This involves medicine to control blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol as well as healthy lifestyle changes.
Things you can do to help yourself include:
- Stop smoking.
- Take regular exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet including reducing the amount of salt in your diet.
Monitoring CKD
You will be offered blood and urine tests to monitor your kidney function and check for any changes. You will be automatically invited in for this on an annual basis (by birth month) by the practice.
Further help and advice
If you have any further questions here are some helpful links including information on healthy lifestyles:
Healthy Lifestyles Archives - Health Connections Mendip