You have two kidneys on either side of your spine that are each approximately the size of a human fist. They’re located posterior to your abdomen and below your rib cage.
- The overall prevalence of CKD in the general population is approximately 14 percent.
- High blood pressure and diabetes are the main causes of CKD. Almost half of individuals with CKD also have diabetes and/or self-reported cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- More than 661,000 Americans have kidney failure. Of these, 468,000 individuals are on dialysis, and roughly 193,000 live with a functioning kidney transplant.
- Kidney disease often has no symptoms in its early stages and can go undetected until it is very advanced. (For this reason, kidney disease is often referred to as a “silent disease.”)
- The adjusted incidence rate of ESRD in the United States rose sharply in the 1980s and 1990s, leveled off in the early 2000s, and has declined slightly since its peak in 2006.
- Compared to Caucasians, ESRD prevalence is about 3.7 times greater in African Americans, 1.4 times greater in Native Americans, and 1.5 times greater in Asian Americans.
- Each year, kidney disease kills more people than breast or prostate cancer. In 2013, more than 47,000 Americans died from kidney disease.1
If your doctor thinks your kidneys may not be working properly, you may need kidney function tests. These are simple blood and urine tests that can identify problems with your kidneys. You may also need kidney function testing done if you have other conditions that can harm the kidneys, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. They can help doctors monitor these conditions.
To test your kidney function, your doctor will order a set of tests that can estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Your GFR tells your doctor how quickly your kidneys are clearing waste from your body.
How to Identify?
This test estimates how well your kidneys are filtering waste. The test determines the rate by looking at factors, such as:
- test results, specifically creatinine levels
Symptoms that may indicate a problem with your kidneys include:
- high blood pressure
- blood in the urine
- frequent urges to urinate
- difficulty beginning urination
- painful urination
- swelling of the hands and feet due to a buildup of fluids in the body
A single symptom may not mean something serious. However, when occurring simultaneously, these symptoms suggest that your kidneys aren’t working properly. Kidney function tests can help determine the reason.
What to Do?
Your doctor will focus on treating the underlying condition if the tests show early kidney disease. Your doctor will prescribe medications to control blood pressure if the tests indicate hypertension. They’ll also suggest lifestyle and dietary modifications.