Dr. Amit Nahata and Dr. Jessie Ganjoo
CHRONIC
www.kccpaohio.com
Kidney Disease
You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. Their main
job is to filter wastes and excess water out of your blood to make
urine. They also keep the body’s chemical balance, help control
blood pressure, and make hormones.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) means that your kidneys are damaged
and can’t filter blood like they should. This damage can cause wastes
to build up in your body. It can also cause other problems that can
harm your health.
Chronic Kidney Disease is often a “progressive” disease, which means it can get worse over
time. Chronic Kidney Disease may lead to kidney failure. The only treatment options for kidney
failure is dialysis or a kidney transplant.
You can take steps to keep your kidneys healthier longer:
Choose foods with less salt (sodium).
Keep your blood pressure below 130/80.
Keep your blood glucose in the target range, if you have diabetes.
How Does My Health Care Provider Know
I Have Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chances are, you feel normal and were surprised to hear that you have CKD. It is called a “silent”
disease, because many people don’t have any symptoms until their kidneys are about to fail. The
only way to know is to get your kidneys checked with blood and urine tests.
A blood test checks your GFR, which tells how well your kidneys are filtering. GFR
stands for glomerular filtration rate.
A urine test checks for albumin. Albumin is a protein that can pass into the urine when
the kidneys are damaged.
These two test are used to monitor Chronic Kidney Disease and make sure that treatment is
working.
What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease?
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD. There are other causes,
too. Your provider will look at your health history and may do other tests. You need to know why
you have Chronic Kidney Disease, so your treatment can also address the cause of the CKD.
CHRONIC
CHRONIC KIDENY
DISEASE OVERVIEW
EVALUATION AND
DIAGNOSIS
A healthcare provider may use
several tests to diagnose Chronic
Kidney Disease and determine if
there is a treatable underlying
cause. These include the
following:
Page 2
sign of Chronic Kidney Disease
in some people, particularly
those with diabetes and high
blood pressure.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD,
also called kidney failure) is a
condition in which the kidneys
lose the ability to remove waste
and excess water from the
bloodstream. As waste and
Kidney Function Tests—the
fluids accumulate, other body
Glomerular Fitration Rate (GFR)
systems are affected, potentially
give an approximate measure of
leading to complications.
the number of functioning
nephonrs. GFR is used to
The most common cause of
monitor the severity of kidney
Chronic Kideny Disease are
impairment. The most common
diabetes and high blood
way to estimate the GFR in
pressure. In the early stages of adults is with several blood
Chrnoic Kidney Disease, there
tests.
are no obvious symptoms. The
A reduction in GFR implies either
disease can progress to
worsening of the underlying
complete kidney failure, also
kidney disease or the
called End Stage Renal Disease.
development of another,
This occurs when kidney
occasionally reversible kidney
function has worsened to the
problem.
point that dialysis or kidney
transplantation is required to
An increase in GFR, on the other
maintain life.
hand, indicates improvement
in renal function.
Imaging Studies—Imaging
tests (such as CT or ultrasound)
may be recommended to
determine if there are any
obstructions (blockages) of the
unrinary tract, kidney stones, or
other abnormalities.
The main goal of treatment is
to prevent progression of
Chronic Kidney Disease to
complete kidney failure. The
best way to do this is to
diagnose and control the
underlying cause.
Research has shown that
management of Chronic Kidney
Disease is best done with
assistance of a nephrologists, a
doctor who specializes in
kidney diseases. Early referral
to nephrologists decreases the
change of developing
complications associated with
Chronic Kidney Disease.
Dr. Amit Nahata
Dr. Jessie Ganjoo
A stable GFR in people with
Chronic Kidney Disease
implies stable disease.
Urine Tests—urine tests can
give important information
about kidney function. The
presence of albumin or protein
in the urine (called aluminura or
proteinuria) is a marker of
kidney disease. Even small
amounts of albumin in the urine,
called micralbuminuria, may be
an early
CHRONIC KIDNEY
DISEASE TREATMENT
The first step in the treatment
of Chronic Kidney Disease is to
determine the underlying cause.
Some causes are reversible,
including use of medication that
impair kidney function,
blockage in the urinary tract, or
decreased blood flow to the
kidneys. Treatment of
reversible causes may prevent
chronic Kidney Disease from
worsening.
References:
National Kidney Foundation