The kidneys filter toxins from our blood, and help to regulate blood flow around our bodies. In kidney disease, damage to the kidneys means that they don't perform these functions properly. This causes a wide range of symptoms.
Chronic kidney disease is thought to affect between one and four people out of every 1,000 in the UK. But there's a lot you can do to minimise your risk by making small, long-lasting changes to your lifestyle.
At your NHS Health Check, your risk of developing kidney disease will be assessed, and you'll be given personalised advice and support to help you reduce that risk.
What happens in kidney disease?
The kidneys contain millions of tiny filters called nephrons. They clean toxins and waste products from our blood.
In kidney disease, the kidneys become damaged and no longer work properly. Toxins and waste products build up in our blood, causing a range of symptoms.
The most common causes are other long-term conditions that cause damage to the kidneys, particularly diabetes and high blood pressure.
Diabetes is when insulin, the hormone that breaks down sugar in our body, is either absent (type 1 diabetes) or not working properly (type 2 diabetes). This causes a build-up of sugar (glucose) in our blood. This build-up can damage the nephrons in the kidneys.
Blood pressure is the pressure that our blood exerts on the walls of our arteries. High blood pressure can put a strain on the tiny arteries in the kidney, causing damage and preventing the filtering process from working properly.
Learn more in Kidney disease.
Symptoms of kidney disease
Kidney disease usually doesn't cause any symptoms until the damage to the kidneys has become severe. This means it can take many years for kidney disease to become apparent. By this time, damage to the kidney is usually serious and irreversible.
When symptoms do occur, they include:
- tiredness
- swollen hands, feet or ankles (due to water retention)
- shortness of breath
- increased need to urinate (especially at night)
- itchy skin
- erectile dysfunction
Use our interactive Kidney disease self-assessment.
Avoiding kidney disease
Because kidney disease is most often caused by other conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, the best way to avoid kidney disease is to avoid these conditions.
There’s lots you can do to help avoid high blood pressure and diabetes. They include:
- maintaining a healthy weight
- eating a healthy, balanced diet
- being physically active
- not smoking
If you already have diabetes or high blood pressure, be sure to follow the treatments that will help to keep them under control in order to reduce their impact on your health.
Learn more in Kidney disease: prevention.
Take action
At your NHS Health Check you will have a discussion with your GP or other health professional. This will include a discussion of the test results that are relevant to your risk of kidney disease, such as blood pressure.
Whatever your results, your GP will then give you information and advice on lifestyle changes that will help to minimise your risk of kidney disease and other vascular diseases.
If you're at higher risk, this advice may be combined with treatments such as medicines to lower blood pressure. You may also be offered support (free on the NHS) to help you stop smoking or lose weight.
For more, see Take action.
