Are your kidneys ok?
One million people in the UK don't know they have kidney disease.
Am I at risk of kidney disease?
Although kidney disease can affect anyone at any age, there are a few things that increase your risk:
- Diabetes*
- High blood pressure*
- Cardiovascular (heart) disease
- Family history of kidney disease
- People from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds
*it is more common if your blood pressure or diabetes haven’t been well controlled as they should be.
What are the symptoms?
In most people, early stage kidney disease does not cause any obvious symptoms. Sometimes there are none at all until a few weeks before dialysis is needed. Symptoms that can occur in the later stages are:
How do I find out if I have kidney disease?
Both blood and urine tests are used to diagnose kidney disease. A blood test called eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) indicates roughly how well the kidneys are working to filter out waste from your blood and is often shown as a percentage of normal. A simple urine test or ACR (albumin to creatinine ratio) is performed to look for signs that protein is leaking into the urine. This is an important sign of kidney damage.
What can I do to help myself?
The Are your kidneys OK? patient leaflet contains vital information about chronic kidney disease.
Bulk ordering
The leaflets are also designed for use in primary care, within GP practices and other organisations.
If you would like to receive a large amount of the 'Are your kidneys OK?' leaflet, please email our Supporter Care Team for more information or call on 0300 303 1100.