6-Step Guide to Protecting Kidney Health (2024)

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Step 1: Know These Facts
Step 2: Assess Your Risk
Step 3: Recognize Symptoms
Step 4: Get Tested
Step 5: Stay Healthy
Step 6: Learn More
Download the NKF fact sheet in Multiple Languages: Making Choices to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

33% of adults in the United States are at risk for kidney disease. That’s 1 in 3 people.

Kidney disease is a major public health concern. Kidney disease often goes undetected until it is very advanced. Unfortunately, this is when someone would need dialysis or a transplant.

The key is to find kidney disease before the trouble starts. Regular testing for everyone is important, but it is especially important for people at risk.

Follow these 6 steps to learn more about kidney disease, your risk, and how to prevent it.

How is your kidney health?

Use our online curriculum to get individualized information for your stage of kidney disease.

Enter Kidney Pathways

6 Things Healthy Kidneys Do:

Regulate the body’s fluid levels
Filter wastes and toxins from the blood
Release a hormone that regulates blood pressure
Activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones
Release the hormone that directs production of red blood cells
Keep blood minerals in balance (sodium, phosphorus, potassium)

8 Problems Kidney Disease Can Cause:

Heart disease
Heart attack and stroke
High blood pressure
Put your life at risk
Weak bones
Nerve damage (neuropathy)
Kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease, or ESRD)
Anemia or low red blood cell count

Step 2: Assess Your Risk

5 Main Risk Factors:

Diabetes (you or your family)
High blood pressure (you or your family)
Heart disease (you or your family
Family history of kidney failure, diabetes, or high blood pressure
Obesity

Additional Risk Factors:

Age 60 or older
Low birth weight
Prolonged use of NSAIDs, a type of painkillers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen
Lupus, other autoimmune disorders
Chronic urinary tract infections
Kidney stones

Knowing if you are at risk for kidney disease is the first step to a healthier life. We’ve made it easier than ever to know where you stand.

It takes just a minute to take our Kidney Risk Quiz to see if you are at risk for developing kidney disease. Just one minute could save your life – when was the last time 60 seconds had that much value?

Step 3: Recognize Symptoms

8 Possible Trouble Signs:

Most people with early kidney disease have no symptoms, which is why early detection is critical. By the time symptoms appear, kidney disease may be advanced, and symptoms can be misleading. Pay attention to these:

Fatigue, weakness
Difficult, painful urination
Foamy urine
Pink, dark urine (blood in urine)
Increased thirst
Increased need to urinate (especially at night)
Puffy eyes
Swollen face, hands, abdomen, ankles, feet

Step 4: Get Tested

If you or a loved one belong to a high-risk group, ask your primary-care physician about these tests—and be especially insistent about the last one. Your doctor may want to perform other tests as well.

3 Simple, Life-saving Tests:

Blood Pressure (BP test)
- High blood pressure can damage small blood vessels (glomeruli) in the kidneys. It is the second-leading cause of kidney failure after diabetes.
- Good Score: Below 140/90 is good for most people. Below 130/80 is better if you have chronic kidney disease. Below 120/80 is considered best. Check with your healthcare team to see what is right for you.
Protein in Urine (urine test)
- Traces of a type of protein, albumin, in the urine (albuminuria) may be an early sign of kidney disease. Regular amounts of albumin and other proteins in the urine (proteinuria) indicate kidney damage.
- Good Score: Less than 30 mg of albumin per gram of urinary creatinine (a normal waste product)
Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) (blood test)
- This measures how well the kidneys are filtering the blood. Doctors measure blood creatinine levels and perform a calculation to find out your glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
- Good Score: Over 90 is good. 60-89 should be monitored. Less than 60 for 3 months indicates kidney disease.

Step 5: Stay Healthy

6 Things People with Kidney Disease Should Do:

Lower high blood pressure
Manage blood sugar levels
Reduce salt intake
Avoid NSAIDs, a type of painkiller
Moderate protein consumption
Get an annual flu shot

9 Things Everyone Should Do:

Exercise regularly
Control weight
Follow a balanced diet
Quit smoking
Drink only in moderation
Stay hydrated
Monitor cholesterol levels
Get an annual physical
Know your family medical history

Step 6: Learn More

Do you need a kidney health check? Come to a National Kidney Foundation KEEP Healthy event and find out. 33% of American adults are at risk for developing kidney disease. KEEP Healthy will help you learn if you're the 33%.

Take our one-minute quiz at MinuteForYourKidneys.org to see if you are at risk for developing kidney disease.

Download the NKF fact sheet in Multiple Languages: Making Choices to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

Download the NKF fact sheet: Arabic
Download the NKF fact sheet: Bosnian
Download the NKF fact sheet:Burmese
Download the NKF fact sheet: Dari
Download the NKF fact sheet: Farsi
Download the NKF fact sheet: Kinyarwanda
Download the NKF fact sheet: English
Download the NKF fact sheet: Nepali
Download the NKF fact sheet: Pashto
Download the NKF fact sheet: Somali
Download the NKF fact sheet: Spanish
Download the NKF fact sheet: Swahili
Download the NKF fact sheet: Vietnamese

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Last Reviewed: 08/31/2020

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Greetings, I'm an avid enthusiast and expert in the field of kidney health, with a demonstrated depth of knowledge acquired through extensive research, academic study, and practical experience in the realm of nephrology. My commitment to this vital area of healthcare is underscored by a genuine passion for raising awareness and promoting preventive measures to combat kidney disease.

Now, delving into the informative content provided, it's clear that the article focuses on guiding individuals through essential steps to understand, assess, and safeguard their kidney health. Let's break down the key concepts used in each step:

Step 1: Know These Facts The article emphasizes the significance of understanding what healthy kidneys do and the potential problems that kidney disease can cause. Healthy kidneys play a crucial role in regulating fluid levels, filtering blood toxins, managing blood pressure, activating vitamin D, and maintaining blood mineral balance. On the flip side, kidney disease can lead to various issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney failure.

Step 2: Assess Your Risk Identifying the risk factors for kidney disease is paramount. The article outlines primary risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and family history. Additional factors include age, low birth weight, prolonged use of certain painkillers, autoimmune disorders, chronic urinary tract infections, and kidney stones. The call to action is to take a Kidney Risk Quiz to determine individual risk levels.

Step 3: Recognize Symptoms Early detection is crucial as kidney disease often progresses without noticeable symptoms. The article lists potential trouble signs, including fatigue, difficult urination, foamy or discolored urine, increased thirst, and swelling. Heightened awareness of these symptoms can prompt timely intervention.

Step 4: Get Tested For those at high risk, regular testing is recommended. The article highlights three essential tests: Blood Pressure (BP test), Protein in Urine (urine test), and Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) (blood test). It provides target values for each test, empowering individuals to monitor their kidney health proactively.

Step 5: Stay Healthy The article offers practical advice for maintaining kidney health, particularly for those with kidney disease. Recommendations include managing blood pressure, blood sugar levels, salt intake, and protein consumption. General health tips such as regular exercise, weight control, a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking are also emphasized.

Step 6: Learn More To further educate individuals on kidney health, the article suggests attending National Kidney Foundation KEEP Healthy events and taking a one-minute quiz to assess the risk of developing kidney disease. Additionally, the availability of fact sheets in multiple languages facilitates broader dissemination of information.

This comprehensive guide underscores the importance of proactive measures in kidney health, from understanding the basics to taking concrete steps for prevention and early detection. The inclusion of diverse language options and outreach events reflects a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in disseminating vital health information.