Am I at Risk for Kidney Disease? Early Signs of Kidney Problems

The kidneys are a pair of fist-sized, bean-shaped organs present in the back and below the ribcage. They filter wastes, toxins, and extra fluid from the blood and remove them from the body as urine.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most common types of kidney disease. It is a condition in which there is a gradual loss of kidney function. Some 37 million Americans, 15% of the population (more than 1 in 7 adults), are estimated to have chronic kidney disease. As many as 9 out of 10 people with CKD do not know they have this condition. This is because there are only a few signs and symptoms in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, none of them specific.

As a result, patients are frequently not diagnosed with CKD until it has reached an advanced or severe stage, at which time there can be complications due to dangerously high levels of wastes, electrolytes, and fluid buildup in the body. Untreated chronic kidney disease can progress to end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure. End-stage kidney disease is fatal without dialysis or kidney transplant. Timely diagnosis and treatment can slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Please continue reading to learn about some of the signs and symptoms of kidney disease that warrant medical attention.

What causes chronic kidney disease CKD?

As noted, chronic kidney disease is a gradually progressive condition in which kidney function slowly worsens over a period of months to years. This is in contrast to acute kidney failure which occurs in a matter of days.

Some of the health conditions that can lead to kidney disease include type 1 or type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation in the kidneys (glomerulonephritis or interstitial nephritis), polycystic kidney disease, recurrent kidney infections (pyelonephritis), vesicoureteral reflux (backflow of urine into the kidneys), and prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract from stones, enlarged prostate, or certain cancers.

What makes you a high risk for kidney disease?

Diabetes

Diabetes is the leading cause of CKD. It accounts for 44% of new cases of kidney disease. Strict control of blood sugar levels is necessary to prevent kidney damage in diabetics.

High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease

High blood pressure is the second leading cause of chronic kidney disease after diabetes. High blood pressure narrows and weakens the blood vessels throughout the body, including the kidneys. This leads to a reduced blood flow in the kidneys so that they cannot work properly. Almost 1 in 2 adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure.

Smoking

Smoking slows blood flow to important organs like the kidneys. It can also affect the efficacy of blood pressure medications. As noted, poorly controlled high blood pressure is a leading cause of CKD.

Obesity

In people who are obese, the kidneys have to work extra hard to meet the demands of the increased body weight. This can damage the kidneys in the long term and increase the risk of CKD.

Race and ethnicity

African-Americans are 4 times more likely to develop kidney disease than Caucasians. Other races at risk of CKD include Hispanics or Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians or Alaska Natives.

Family history of kidney disease

Kidney disease affects some families more than others. People who have risk factors for chronic kidney disease such as diabetes and high blood pressure as well as kidney disease in close relatives are high-risk and should be screened and tested for kidney problems.

Age

Kidney disease can develop at any age, but older individuals (age 60 and above) are at greater risk. Researchers estimate that 1 in 2 seniors over the age of 75 in the U.S. has kidney disease due to a gradual loss of kidney function with age. Many people don’t realize they are at increased risk until chronic kidney disease is at an advanced stage.

What are the symptoms of early kidney disease that might progress to kidney failure?

The symptoms of chronic kidney disease are nonspecific, especially in the early stages. They include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, sleep difficulties, changes in urination (you urinate more often), mental fogginess, muscle cramps, swollen ankles and feet, itching, chest pain, shortness of breath (this happens due to a buildup of fluid in the lungs), and difficulty in controlling blood pressure.

What are the first signs of kidney damage?

According to the National Kidney Foundation, some of the first signs and symptoms of kidney disease are:

Low energy and difficulty concentrating
Trouble sleeping
Dry, itchy skin
Urinating more often
Blood in the urine
Foamy urine
Puffiness around the eyes
Swelling of feet and ankles
Shortness of breath
Poor appetite
Muscle cramps
Anemia (lower than normal level of red blood cells)

What kidney function tests indicate you are at high risk?

Doctors use both blood tests and urine tests to check kidney function. These tests are used to diagnose chronic kidney disease. In people who have already received a diagnosis of CKD, health care providers use these tests to see if the treatment is working.

A blood test called GFR (glomerular filtration rate) checks how well the kidneys are filtering blood. A GFR of 60 or more is normal. A GFR below 60 may indicate kidney disease. There are various stages of kidney disease. A GFR of 15 or below indicates kidney failure. People with this level of GFR need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Creatinine is a waste product from the breakdown of muscles in the body, which the kidneys remove. Doctors measure blood creatinine levels to estimate GFR and how well the kidneys are working. As the kidney disease gets worse, the blood creatinine level goes up.

Albumin is a protein that healthy kidneys do not allow to pass into the urine. However, albumin leaks into the urine when the kidneys are damaged. A urine albumin test measures how much albumin is passing into the urine.

There are no specific early signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease. The only way to know for sure if you have healthy kidneys or kidney damage is by getting tested. If you are at high risk of chronic kidney disease due to diabetes, high blood pressure, age 60+, and/or a family history of kidney disease, it’s important to get tested with annual kidney function tests. Also, be sure to mention to your healthcare provider if you are experiencing any signs or symptoms of kidney disease as listed above. You can also visit our charity partner’s website, kidney.org for other resources and information and get a card benefiting the National Kidney Foundation to support their mission.

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