Facts About Kidney Disease
More than 30 million Americans (one in seven adults) have chronic kidney disease, and most don’t know it. Another 20 million are at increased risk for kidney disease. In many cases, early detection and treatment of kidney disease can help to prevent more serious kidney disease and other complications.
Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to function properly. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick.
You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time.
Chronic kidney disease may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure, and other disorders. Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease from getting worse. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.