Chronic kidney disease
What is Chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease happens when your kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste and extra fluid from your blood. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that clean your blood, balance minerals, and make hormones that control blood pressure and red blood cells. When they stop working properly, waste builds up in your body.
This condition develops slowly over months or years. It progresses through five stages, from mild damage to complete kidney failure. In early stages, you may not notice any symptoms at all. That makes regular blood testing essential for catching problems before they become serious.
About 37 million American adults have chronic kidney disease, but most don't know it. Early detection through blood testing helps you protect your kidney function with lifestyle changes and medical care. The sooner you catch kidney damage, the more you can do to slow its progression.
Symptoms
- Fatigue and low energy that doesn't improve with rest
- Difficulty concentrating or brain fog
- Trouble sleeping at night
- Decreased appetite or feeling full quickly
- Swelling in ankles, feet, or hands
- Puffy eyes, especially in the morning
- Dry, itchy skin that won't go away
- Increased need to urinate, especially at night
- Foamy or bubbly urine
- Blood in urine
Many people with early-stage chronic kidney disease have no symptoms at all. Your kidneys can lose up to 90% of their function before you feel sick. This makes blood testing the most reliable way to detect kidney problems early.
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Causes and risk factors
The two main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. High blood sugar from diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys over time. High blood pressure puts extra strain on these vessels and reduces their ability to filter waste. Together, these two conditions account for about two-thirds of all chronic kidney disease cases.
Other risk factors include heart disease, family history of kidney disease, being over age 60, and obesity. Smoking damages blood vessels throughout your body, including in your kidneys. Certain medications, especially long-term use of pain relievers, can harm kidney function. Autoimmune diseases like lupus and recurring kidney infections also increase your risk. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans face higher rates of kidney disease than other groups.
How it's diagnosed
Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed through blood and urine tests that measure how well your kidneys are working. Blood tests check creatinine levels, which show how well your kidneys filter waste. Your doctor calculates your glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, which estimates what percentage of kidney function you have left. A GFR below 60 for three months or longer indicates chronic kidney disease.
Rite Aid offers testing that includes key biomarkers for kidney health monitoring. Our panel measures red blood cell count, which often drops when kidneys stop making enough erythropoietin, a hormone that helps create new blood cells. We also test IGFBP-3, which can build up when kidneys can't filter properly, and lipoprotein (a), which damages kidney blood vessels over time. Getting tested twice a year helps you track changes before symptoms appear.
Treatment options
- Control blood sugar if you have diabetes through diet, exercise, and medication
- Manage blood pressure with lifestyle changes and prescribed medications
- Reduce sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day
- Follow a kidney-friendly diet lower in protein, phosphorus, and potassium
- Quit smoking to protect blood vessel health
- Maintain a healthy weight through regular physical activity
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Take medications as prescribed, including ACE inhibitors or ARBs for blood pressure
- Avoid pain medications that can damage kidneys, such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- Work with a nephrologist, a kidney specialist, for advanced stages
- Consider dialysis or kidney transplant if kidneys fail
Concerned about Chronic kidney disease? Get tested at Rite Aid.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Most people have no symptoms in early stages. When symptoms do appear, they include fatigue, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, and swelling in your ankles or feet. You might also notice changes in urination, like needing to go more often at night or seeing foam in your urine. Blood testing is the only reliable way to catch kidney disease early before you feel sick.
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney disease, get tested at least once a year. People with existing kidney disease should test every three to six months to monitor progression. Rite Aid offers testing twice per year, which helps you track changes in kidney function over time. Regular testing lets you catch problems early when lifestyle changes can still help.
Kidney damage from chronic kidney disease cannot be fully reversed, but you can slow or stop its progression. Early detection and treatment make a big difference. Controlling blood sugar and blood pressure protects remaining kidney function. Lifestyle changes like eating a kidney-friendly diet, quitting smoking, and staying active help preserve what kidney function you have left.
A normal GFR is 90 or higher, meaning your kidneys are filtering at 90% capacity or better. A GFR between 60 and 89 with other signs of damage indicates stage 1 or 2 kidney disease. GFR below 60 for three months or longer means chronic kidney disease. The lower your GFR, the more advanced your kidney disease.
Limit foods high in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. Avoid processed foods, deli meats, canned soups, and salty snacks. Cut back on bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and potatoes, which are high in potassium. Reduce dairy products, nuts, and whole grains that contain phosphorus. Work with a registered dietitian who specializes in kidney disease to create a meal plan that fits your stage and needs.
Yes, chronic kidney disease commonly causes anemia, a condition where you don't have enough healthy red blood cells. Your kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin that tells your body to produce red blood cells. When kidneys are damaged, they make less of this hormone. That leads to fatigue, weakness, and feeling cold, which are common symptoms in people with kidney disease.
High blood pressure damages the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys that filter waste from your blood. Over time, the extra force weakens and narrows these vessels. This reduces blood flow to your kidneys and makes them less able to remove waste. As kidney function drops, your body retains more fluid and sodium, which raises blood pressure even more, creating a harmful cycle.
ACE inhibitors like lisinopril and ARBs like losartan protect kidney function by lowering blood pressure and reducing protein in urine. These medications are often prescribed even if your blood pressure is normal. Other treatments depend on your specific needs, like medications to control blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, or treat anemia. Always tell your doctor about all medications you take, as some can harm kidneys.
Most people need dialysis when kidney function drops below 15%, which is stage 5 kidney disease. However, the decision depends on symptoms and quality of life, not just numbers. Signs you might need dialysis include severe fatigue, nausea, difficulty breathing, and dangerous buildup of waste in your blood. Your nephrologist will help you decide the right time to start based on your overall health.
Yes, losing excess weight can help slow kidney disease progression, especially if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. Weight loss improves blood sugar control, reduces blood pressure, and decreases inflammation throughout your body. Even losing 5 to 10% of your body weight makes a difference. Focus on gradual, sustainable changes like eating more vegetables, reducing portion sizes, and moving more each day.