Make the Kidney Connection

Diabetes & High Blood Pressure

The two leading causes of kidney disease

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Have you been checked for kidney disease?

Diabetes and high blood pressure can damage your kidneys and lead to kidney disease.

Early kidney disease has no signs or symptoms. The only way to know if you have kidney disease is to get checked.

Kidney disease does not go away. It may get worse over time and can lead to kidney failure. If the kidneys fail, the only options are dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Kidney disease can be treated. The sooner you know you have it, the sooner you can take steps to keep your kidneys healthy longer.

You have two kidneys located near the center of your back. Their main job is to filter waste and extra water from the blood and make urine. When the kidneys are damaged, waste can build up in the body.

Risk factors for kidney disease

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney disease.

Diabetes and high blood pressure can damage your kidneys over time, without you knowing it. These conditions cause about 70 percent of kidney failure cases.

You are also at risk for kidney disease if you have:

• heart disease or
• a mother, father, sister, or brother with kidney disease

If you have any of these risk factors, get checked for kidney disease.

Two tests for kidney disease

1. A blood test measures your GFR, which tells you how well your kidneys are working. GFR stands for glomerular (glow-MAIR-you-lure) filtration rate.
2. A urine test measures the amount of protein in your urine. Protein can leak into the urine when the kidneys are not working well.

Make sure you know:

• your GFR
• if you have protein in your urine
• your blood pressure
• your blood glucose

Take these steps to keep your kidneys healthy

1. Manage your diabetes and keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg.

   • Eat healthy and cut back on salt
   • Be active
   • Take medicines as prescribed


2. Get blood and urine tests to check for kidney disease.


3. Ask your provider about blood pressure medicines that can help slow down kidney disease.

For more information

National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP)
Toll free at 1-866-4 KIDNEY
(1-866-454-3639)
www.nkdep.nih.gov

National Diabetes Education Program
Toll free at 1-800-438-5383
www.ndep.nih.gov

National High Blood Pressure Education Program
1-301-592-8573
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/nhbpep

To order this brochure, call 1-866-4 KIDNEY (1-866-454-3639) or visit www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources.