Condition5 min read
Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
CKD
A long-term condition in which the kidneys do not filter the blood as well as they should. It often causes no symptoms early on and is found by blood and urine tests. Care aims to slow it down and protect the heart.
Chronic kidney disease is a long-term condition in which the kidneys do not filter the blood as they should. Its most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure. There are no symptoms in the early stages, and in advanced stages symptoms such as tiredness, swelling and changes in urine appear.
The presence and stage of the disease are determined by blood and urine tests (eGFR and the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio UACR). Treatment focuses on controlling the cause (diabetes, blood pressure), relieving symptoms and complications, and in advanced stages dialysis or kidney transplant. The NHS indicated that about 2 in every 100 people affected progress to kidney failure, with a raised risk of heart disease even in mild cases.
In one minute12
- What is it?
- A long-term condition in which the kidneys do not filter the blood as they should.
- Who is usually affected?
- Its most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure; it becomes more common with age and a family history.
- Acute or chronic?
- Chronic; it progresses slowly in most people affected.
- Main symptoms
- No symptoms in the early stages; tiredness, swelling and changes in urine in advanced disease.
- Red flags?
- Yes: shortness of breath, chest pain or sharp deterioration.
- Preventable?
- Control sugar, blood pressure and weight, and avoid medicines that harm the kidneys.
What is it?
It is damage to the kidneys or a defect in their structure that prevents them from filtering blood as they should, and it lasts a long time.
The NIDDK states that more than 35 million American adults (more than 1 in 7) have it.
Causes
The NHS lists: high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney infections, glomerulonephritis, inherited polycystic kidney disease, urinary tract obstruction (stones, enlarged prostate), and prolonged use of certain medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and lithium.
Risk factors
Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and vascular disease, family history, older age, and certain ethnic backgrounds according to NIDDK.
Symptoms
Often no symptoms in the early stages, and it is detected through blood and urine tests.
In advanced stages: loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, disturbed sleep, difficulty concentrating, changes in urination, foamy urine, itching, numbness, dry skin, muscle cramps, chest pain, shortness of breath, and swelling of the feet, ankles and hands.
How is it diagnosed?
Blood and urine tests detect the substances that indicate impaired kidney function, and the stage is determined from them. Regular testing is advised for people with risk factors.
Treatment
The treatment categories usually used are listed here; this is not a prescription. The doctor chooses the plan according to each person's condition; do not change any medicine or dose without a specialist.
Lifestyle changes, medicines to control blood pressure and cholesterol and protect the kidneys, and in advanced stages dialysis or kidney transplant.
Complications
Heart and vascular disease, stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, anaemia, mineral and bone disorder, metabolic acidosis, malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance, and acute kidney failure.
Prevention
Control diabetes, blood pressure and weight, eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid medicines that harm the kidneys except under the doctor's supervision.
Living with it
Manage stress and depression with healthy coping methods according to NIDDK.
When do you need urgent help?
Call emergency services now 998
- Severe shortness of breath, chest pain, or rapid swelling with a sharp deterioration in urine output or consciousness.1
Get urgent care today
- A marked drop in the amount of urine, or blood in the urine, or persistent vomiting in someone with known kidney disease.2
See your doctor within days
Educational content only — no diagnosis, and no substitute for a clinician.
Common questions
Does every chronic kidney disease progress to kidney failure?
No. The NHS states that the disease progresses to kidney failure in about 2 in every 100 people affected, but it raises the risk of heart and vascular disease even in mild cases.2
Questions for your doctor
- What are my eGFR and UACR values and what is my stage?
- What is causing my disease and can it be treated?
- Which medicines should I avoid?
- How often do I need testing?
- When is follow-up with a kidney specialist expected to be needed?
References
- 1NIDDK / NIH. What Is Chronic Kidney Disease?. www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/what-is-chronic-kidney-diseaseHealth agencies & guidelines · Accessed 2026-10-04
- 2NHS. Chronic kidney disease. www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-disease/Health agencies & guidelines · Accessed 2026-10-05
Review status: Edited content · Last updated:
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Educational content only — no diagnosis, and no substitute for a clinician.