Health Information Updates

Get tested and follow your kidney health

March is National Kidney Month. In recognition, NIDDK is sharing the following tips to raise awareness and promote kidney health.

Kidney disease is often referred to as a “silent disease” because symptoms are usually absent during its early stages. In fact, as many as 90% of Americans who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) don’t know they have the disease until it is advanced.

CKD is estimated to affect more than 1 in 7 adults in the United States. The good news is the earlier you find out if you have kidney disease, the sooner you can take steps to protect your kidneys from further damage. By getting tested for CKD and following kidney health, kidneys may be kept healthier for longer.

“For people with kidney disease, working with a health care team is key to an early diagnosis and to keeping kidneys as healthy as possible,” said NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers. “We continue to research new ways to prevent and treat kidney disease and people can take steps today to improve and maintain the health of their kidneys.”

For more information on getting tested for CKD and following your kidney health, visit the NIDDK website at www.niddk.nih.gov.

Health tips to Follow Your Kidney Health

Know Your Risk

Even if you feel healthy and have no symptoms, ask your doctor about getting tested for kidney disease. If you are over 60 or have any risk factors for kidney disease—such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, a history of acute kidney injury, or a family history of CKD—you may be at increased risk. Early diagnosis gives you and your health care team time to develop a plan to slow kidney disease progression. The plan can also reduce your risk for other health problems, such as heart attack and stroke. Damage from kidney disease usually cannot be reversed, but treatment can help prevent further kidney damage and allow you to live a full life.

Schedule Your Test

Testing for CKD involves two quick tests. A blood test checks how well your kidneys are filtering your blood. A urine test checks for protein in your urine, which is a sign of kidney damage. Contact your doctor’s office—or a community health center if you don’t have a regular doctor—to schedule your kidney tests and find out how your kidneys are doing. You may be nervous about getting your kidneys tested, but knowing is better than not knowing. Finding and treating kidney disease early gives you the best chance of staying healthier longer.

Follow Your Kidney Health

Keep your appointments even if you feel well. Your doctor may repeat testing each year, or more often if needed, and use any changes in your results to plan the next steps for your care. If your kidney function is stable, your care team may recommend you continue doing what you’re doing. If your kidney function seems to be getting worse, the team may suggest lifestyle or medicine changes.

Be proactive! Keep your kidneys healthy by following a kidney-healthy lifestyle.

Manage your blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen.
Be active for at least 30 minutes each day.
Aim for 7 to 8 hours or more of sleep each night.
Quit smoking.
Consult a registered dietitian to build a meal plan you can stick to.

If financial or resources issues challenge you in following your care plan—including getting to medical appointments, paying for medicines, or buying healthy food—ask your care team for ideas and help.

Have more Healthy Moments with NIDDK

Along with advancing rigorous research, another NIDDK priority is ensuring that the results from publicly funded research are effectively disseminated—to the public, health care providers, patients, and policymakers. One place to get trusted health information is the NIDDK website, which has been reported to be one of the most frequently visited websites across the federal government.

NIDDK also has a weekly syndicated radio show hosted by NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers called Healthy Moments. Its goal is to provide listeners with reliable, science-based healthy lifestyle tips. Over the past decade, the program has grown to about 60 million listeners, particularly in areas with the highest rate of conditions within NIDDK’s mission.

Learn more about the show from NIH’s Medline Plus Magazine, which recently published an article: Healthy Moments shares reliable information in quick bites.

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