Kidney disease is a growing public health problem affecting an estimated 31 million American adults. Recent studies show that 1 in 10 adult Americans has chronic kidney disease (CKD), but most don’t know it. The good news is that if CKD is caught early, it may be possible to slow it down or even stop it altogether.
In people with CKD, the kidneys are less able to perform vital functions that help maintain overall health, including filtering wastes and excess fluids from the blood. In time, CKD may lead to kidney failure, in which case dialysis (blood cleaning) or a kidney transplant is needed to support life.
10 reasons to get screened for CKD:
- If you want to take an active part in your health care decisions
- If you want to learn how your kidneys contribute to your overall health
- If you want to learn how well your kidneys function or if you show signs of kidney impairment
- If you have a family history of kidney disease
- If you have diabetes
- If you have high blood pressure, cholesterol or heart disease
- If you are overweight or obese
- If you are over age 60
- If you are African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native American
- If you smoke tobacco
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above risk factors, Bridge of Life encourages you to get screened for chronic kidney disease.
