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Are You At Risk For Kidney Disease?

• Do you have diabetes?
• Do you have high blood pressure?
• Did anyone in your family ever have kidney disease or kidney failure?
• Has a doctor ever told you that you had protein in your urine?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are at risk for kidney disease. Now is the time to talk to your doctor or health care professional about getting tested. It could save your life.

Some Tips On What To Ask Your Doctor Or Health Care Professional

• Based on my medical and family history, am I at risk for kidney disease?
• Would lowering my blood pressure help reduce my risk of developing kidney disease?
• Do my blood and urine tests show signs of kidney disease?
• How can I prevent or control kidney disease?

Tips For Talking With Your Doctor Or Health Care Professional

• Know as much as you can about your family's medical history.
• Write down the answers you get and ask more questions if you need to.
• Bring someone else with you for support and to help you remember what you learn.

Steps To Protect Your Kidneys

• Control your blood pressure and diabetes.
• Ask your doctor or health care professional to test your blood and urine for kidney disease.
• If these tests show kidney disease, special medicines called ACE- Inhibitors or ARBs can help. Talk to your doctor about these medications.

Stop A Disease That Comes Without Warning

Early kidney disease is a silent problem, like high blood pressure. Kidney disease can become kidney failure with little or no warning, and is usually discovered right before the kidneys fail.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family member with kidney failure, a doctor or health care professional should test your blood and urine for early signs of kidney disease. You can take steps to keep your kidneys working if the tests show kidney disease.


Source: Adapted from the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP)

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