Decreasing your Key Messages risk of severe kidney problems by early detection You are at risk of kidney damage if: n You have high blood pressure n You have diabetes n You smoke
Some people are at increased risk of getting kidney problems. These are people with: n Diabetes n High blood pressure n Vascular disease (e.g. previous heart attack, poor circulation in your legs or a history of stroke) n Family history of kidney disease n South Asian or African-Caribbean ethnic background The more of these risk factors you have, the more likely it is that you will be at risk of kidney damage. In most cases, CKD does not cause any symptoms and is detected because tests are abnormal. Both blood and urine tests can be used. A small proportion of people may have symptoms of kidney damage such as: n Recurrent urinary infections (fishy smelling urine) n Protein in the urine (where urine appears frothy) n Blood in the urine (urine is pink or red) n Marked ankle swelling
What can I do about it? n Look after your blood pressure - ask your doctor or nurse about your blood pressure: the target is below 140 (top reading) and below 90 (bottom reading). If you have diabetes the target is below 130 (top reading) and below 80 (bottom reading) n Take blood pressure tablets as prescribed and report any side effects n If you have diabetes keep your blood sugar under control n If you smoke seek advice on how to give up n Reduce the salt in your diet n Provide a yearly urine sample to test for protein n Take more exercise Know your kidney numbers: n What stage kidney damage do you have? n Ask your doctor or nurse for the results of any tests you have, especially your eGFR test which tells you how well your kidneys are working Ask more questions.
These clues should be drawn to your GP’s attention for further management and treatment.
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