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Chronic Kidney Disease
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/chronickidneydisease.html

Chronic Kidney Disease

Also called: CKD
On this page

Basics

  • Summary
  • Start Here
  • Diagnosis and Tests
  • Prevention and Risk Factors
  • Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

  • Living With
  • Related Issues
  • Genetics

See, Play and Learn

  • Videos and Tutorials

Research

  • Statistics and Research
  • Clinical Trials
  • Journal Articles

Resources

  • Reference Desk
  • Find an Expert

For You

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Summary

You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. Their main job is to filter your blood. They remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. They also keep the body's chemicals balanced, help control blood pressure, and make hormones.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means that your kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood as they should. This damage can cause wastes to build up in your body. It can also cause other problems that can harm your health. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD.

The kidney damage occurs slowly over many years. Many people don't have any symptoms until their kidney disease is very advanced. Blood and urine tests are the only way to know if you have kidney disease.

Treatments cannot cure kidney disease, but they may slow kidney disease. They include medicines to lower blood pressure, control blood sugar, and lower cholesterol. CKD may still get worse over time. Sometimes it can lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplantation.

You can take steps to keep your kidneys healthier longer:

  • Choose foods with less salt (sodium)
  • Control your blood pressure; your health care provider can tell you what your blood pressure should be
  • Keep your blood sugar in the target range, if you have diabetes
  • Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
  • Choose foods that are healthy for your heart: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods
  • Lose weight if you are overweight
  • Be physically active
  • Don't smoke

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

  • Chronic Kidney Disease (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
  • Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) (National Kidney Foundation)
  • Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) (American Kidney Fund) Also in Spanish
  • What Is Chronic Kidney Disease? From the National Institutes of Health (National Kidney Disease Education Program) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

  • Creatinine Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Kidney Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

  • At Risk for Kidney Disease? From the National Institutes of Health (National Kidney Disease Education Program) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

  • Dandelion From the National Institutes of Health (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
  • Herbal Supplements and Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation) Also in Spanish

Living With

  • Are High-protein Diets Safe for Weight Loss? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Coping: Managing Your Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation) - PDF
  • Dining Out with Confidence - On Dialysis (National Kidney Foundation) Also in Spanish
  • Healthy Eating for Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
  • Nutrition for Children with Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse) Also in Spanish
  • Potassium in Your CKD Diet (National Kidney Foundation)
  • Renal Diet for Vegetarians: What about Protein? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Slowing Kidney Disease (Life Options Rehabilitation Program)
  • Vitamins and Minerals in Chronic Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation)
  • Working with Kidney Disease: Rehabilitation and Employment (National Kidney Foundation)

Related Issues

  • Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
  • If You Have Kidney Disease, You Need to Get a Flu Shot this Fall (National Kidney Foundation)
  • Keeping Your Heart Healthy: What You Should Know about Lipids When You Have Chronic Kidney Disease (Stages 1-4) (National Kidney Foundation) - PDF
  • Managing Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
  • Mineral and Bone Disorder in Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
  • Planning for Emergencies: A Guide for People with Chronic Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation)
  • Sexual Health and Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation)
  • Staying Fit with Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation)

Genetics

  • Fibronectin glomerulopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

  • Kidney School (Life Options Rehabilitation Program)

Statistics and Research

  • FastStats: Kidney Disease (National Center for Health Statistics)
  • Kidney Disease Statistics for the United States From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Renal Insufficiency, Chronic From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Investigating the impact of interdisciplinary training programs on self-efficacy and life...
  • Article: Executive summary for the China Kidney Disease Network (CK-NET) 2017-2018 Annual...
  • Article: Effect of the Chronic Kidney Disease-Peritoneal Dialysis (CKD-PD) App on Improvement...
  • Chronic Kidney Disease -- see more articles

Reference Desk

  • Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
  • Your Kidneys and How They Work From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases From the National Institutes of Health
  • National Kidney Disease Education Program From the National Institutes of Health
  • National Kidney Foundation

Children

  • Chronic Kidney Disease: Caring for Your Child (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
  • Growth Failure in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
  • Nutrition for Children with Chronic Kidney Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse) Also in Spanish

Women

  • Pregnancy and Kidney Disease (National Kidney Foundation)

Patient Handouts

  • ACE inhibitors (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Chronic kidney disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

Chronic Kidney Disease

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • ACE inhibitors
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Diet - chronic kidney disease
  • Renal perfusion scintiscan
  • Renovascular hypertension

Related Health Topics

  • Dialysis
  • Kidney Diseases
  • Kidney Failure
  • Kidney Tests

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Chronic Kidney Disease is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Chronic Kidney Disease

Disclaimers

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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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