What Is Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults?

In this section:

• How common is CKD in adults?
• Which adults are more likely to develop CKD?
• What are the complications of CKD in adults?
• What are the symptoms of CKD in adults?
• Clinical Trials for CKD in Adults

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition in which your kidneys are damaged or have a problem with their structure that prevents them from filtering blood the way they should. As a result, waste and extra fluid can build up in your body.

View full-sized image Kidneys filter your blood, removing waste and extra fluid from your body.

CKD often develops slowly. However, sometimes CKD can develop as a result of a sudden event. Advanced, long-lasting CKD typically can’t be reversed. In some people, CKD can lead to kidney failure. However, the sooner you find out you have CKD, the sooner you can make changes to protect your kidneys from further damage.

Preventing or managing health conditions that cause CKD, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, may help prevent CKD or slow its progression. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating right, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, and avoiding medicines that can injure the kidneys, may also help keep your kidneys healthier longer.

Watch a video to learn more about what the kidneys do.

How common is CKD in adults?

CKD is common among adults in the United States. Researchers estimate more than 35 million U.S. adults—more than 1 in every 7 adults—have CKD.¹

Which adults are more likely to develop CKD?

You are at risk for developing CKD if you have

• diabetes
• high blood pressure
• heart and blood vessel disease, also called cardiovascular disease
• family history of kidney disease

Your risk for developing CKD increases with age.¹ Also, the longer you’ve had diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart and blood vessel disease, the more likely you are to develop CKD.

Talk with family members who may be at risk for kidney disease about the importance of getting tested.

African Americans, Hispanic people, American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders are more likely to have advanced kidney disease, including kidney failure.² The rates of diabetes and high blood pressure that these groups experience may contribute to their kidney failure risk. Managing blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and weight if you have overweight or obesity can help slow the progression of CKD and prevent or delay kidney failure.

If you’re at risk for CKD, it’s important to get tested and take steps to prevent or slow kidney disease. Talk with family members about their kidney health, and encourage them to get tested if they’re at risk.

Learn more about kidney disease statistics.

What are the complications of CKD in adults?

Complications of CKD may include

• heart and blood vessel disease, including stroke and heart attack
• high blood pressure
• anemia
• mineral and bone disorder
• metabolic acidosis
• malnutrition
• electrolyte imbalances in the blood, especially high potassium

If you have CKD, you have a higher risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI is a sudden loss of kidney function caused by illness, injury, or certain medicines. AKI may cause more kidney damage and worsen kidney function in the short and long term.

Living with CKD can be stressful. Talk with your health care professional about finding healthy ways to cope with stress and depression.

What are the symptoms of CKD in adults?

Symptoms of early CKD

Most people in the early stages of CKD do not have symptoms, and many people have no symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. For many people, the only way to know if they have CKD is to get their kidneys checked with blood and urine tests.

People with CKD may get swelling, called edema. Edema can happen when the kidneys can’t remove extra fluid and salt from the body. Edema can occur in the legs, feet, ankles, or—less often—in the hands or face. Edema is more common when kidney disease is very advanced or when there’s a lot of protein leaking into the urine.

Symptoms of advanced CKD

As CKD becomes more advanced, symptoms may include

• loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
• feeling tired or having sleep problems
• trouble concentrating
• a change in how often you urinate
• foamy urine
• itching, numbness, dry skin, or darkened skin
• weight loss
• muscle cramps
• chest pain or shortness of breath
• worsening edema

Taking steps to manage your CKD, such as with lifestyle changes and medicines, may help reduce symptoms and complications.

Clinical Trials for CKD in Adults

NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including kidney disease. The trials look to find new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease and improve quality of life.

What are clinical trials for CKD?

Clinical trials—and other types of clinical studies—are part of medical research and involve people like you. When you volunteer to take part in a clinical study, you help doctors and researchers learn more about disease and improve health care for people in the future.

Researchers are studying many aspects of CKD, such as

• genetics and CKD
• the relationship between kidney disease and heart disease
• new ways to slow or prevent progression of CKD

Find out if clinical studies are right for you.

Watch a video of NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers explaining the importance of participating in clinical trials.

What clinical studies for CKD are looking for participants?

You can view a filtered list of clinical studies on CKD that are federally funded, open, and recruiting at ClinicalTrials.gov. You can expand or narrow the list to include clinical studies from industry, universities, and individuals; however, the National Institutes of Health does not review these studies and cannot ensure they are safe for you. Always talk with your health care provider before you participate in a clinical study.

What have we learned about CKD from NIDDK-funded research?

NIDDK has supported many research projects to learn more about CKD. For example, NIDDK’s Chronic Renal Insufficiency Study (CRIC) and Chronic Kidney Disease in Children Study (CKiD) are examining the risk factors for progression of CKD and the link between CKD and cardiovascular disease in adults and children. Additionally, NIDDK’s Kidney Precision Medicine Project is exploring novel therapies for the treatment of kidney disease.

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