Everything You Need to Know
about Chronic Kidney Disease

Kidneys are a pair of bean shaped organs located near the middle of
your back, at the posterior wall of your abdomen. They perform the
function of filtering out waste and extra fluid out of our body in the
form of urine.
Our kidneys do other important jobs too. These include:
Controlling chemicals and fluid in your body
The Kidneys
Controlling your blood pressure by
releasing hormone renin
Keeping your bones healthy by producing
activated form of Vitamin D
Stimulating the production of red blood cells by
releasing hormone erythropoietin

Kidneys are the vital organs
of our body, just like our
lungs and the heart.
How Important are Kidneys?
Most people have two kidneys,
one on each side. However,
you need at least one kidney
to live a healthy life.
Every 30 minutes your kidneys filter
all the blood of your body. The
filtered blood goes into the veins
and back into the circulation.
The filtered out waste and extra fluid
from the blood is converted into urine,
which is then excreted from the kidneys
and is passed down to the bladder by a
thin tube called a ureter.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
At times, due to some external factors or genetic
mutations, your kidneys can get damaged and cannot
perform all the functions that they should.
Chronic Kidney Disease
doesn’t happen overnight!
Known as Chronic Kidney Disease, the damage has
lasting effect on your kidneys that can get worse
over time and lead to complete kidney failure and
even death.
Chronic kidney disease can affect anyone—
young or old! In fact, 1 in 7 American adults
suffer from kidney disease — and most do
not know it.
It happens SLOWLY and in STAGES.
Most people with early kidney disease may
not know that something is wrong before
some of the kidney functions are lost.
The only way to detect and prevent the
disease is through regular screenings and
kidney function tests.

Risk Factors for Chronic Kidney Disease
You may be at an increased risk for CKD if you:
have long standing, uncontrolled diabetes.
suffer from high blood pressure.
have a family history of kidney failure.
are 60 years or older.
are African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific
Islander, or American Indian origin.
are obese.

Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease
There are 5 stages of kidney infection. In every stage, the functioning of your kidneys diminishes and they do not
function as they were in the stage before.
The stages of CKD are determined by the level of kidney function through a test called glomerular filtration rate,
or GFR. The number in the test tells how well the glomeruli are filtering waste and extra fluid.
GRF Stage Kidney Function
90 or higher Stage 1 Kidney damage with normal kidney function
60-89 Stage 2 Kidney damage with mild loss of kidney function
30-59 Stage 3 Moderate loss of kidney function
15-29 Stage 4 Severe loss of kidney function
Less than 15 Stage 5 Complete kidney failure
When kidneys fail, a person needs a kidney transplant or dialysis to stay alive. While
dialysis helps in the filtration of the blood through machines, a kidney transplant replaces
a failed kidney with a healthy kidney from a donor.

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Common Causes of Kidney Damage
Diabetes
Uncontrolled Diabetes is the most common
cause of chronic kidney disease.
A high sugar level in the blood damages
glomeruli – the filters in the kidneys, which
eventually lose their function and do not filter
impurities well.
In fact, they start filtering tiny amounts of
albumin into the urine - a type of protein
needed by the body.
Having protein in the urine is a clear sign of
kidney damage.
To stay protected, you must keep your blood
sugar under control.
High blood pressure is the second
most common cause of chronic
kidney disease.
It makes the kidneys work harder
and can damage its filters.
People with high blood pressure also
release protein in the urine, which
indicates kidney damage.
High Blood Pressure

Common Causes of Kidney Damage
HIV, Hepatitis C virus and other viral and
bacterial infections can also lead to kidney
damage.
Diseases of the uterus, urinary bladder or
urinary tract infections can also affect your
kidneys and disrupt their normal
functioning.
Similarly, accidents, trauma and exposure
to environmental pollutants and toxic
chemicals can cause kidney diseases.
Smoking, excessive drinking and
obesity also lead to CKD.
Certain Medicines
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Certain bowel cleaning laxatives can also
cause kidney damage.
Certain drugs or dyes used during x-rays
and scans also increase your predisposition
to kidney ailments.
Antibiotics, diuretics, supplements, and
protein pump inhibitors also affect your
kidneys and make it difficult for them to
function in normal way.
Health Ailments, Injuries
& External Factors
Increased use of non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs for pain or
fever management can also lead to kidney
damage. These include ibuprofen and
naproxen.

Signs of Chronic Kidney Disease
Itchy skin
Kidney diseases show no initial signs or symptoms. It is only in the later stages that people start to notice some of
the most common signs of kidney damage, which include:
Swelling in your
feet and ankles
Nausea and
vomiting
Muscle cramps
Too much or not
enough urine
Reduced hunger Trouble sleeping
Trouble catching
your breath

How is Chronic Kidney Diseases Detected & Treated?
Since early kidney infection has no symptoms, people may not know if anything is wrong with them.
Therefore, if you are at risk, you must speak with your healthcare physician and regularly get these following
two tests done:
A Blood Test for Creatinine
This test is done to get your
GRF number – the easiest and
the most effective way to know
how well your kidneys are
working.
A Urine Test
The urine test will help determine the presence and amount of
proteins in the urine – again a clear cut indicator of kidney damage.
The treatment of kidney disease completely depends on the stage
at which it is detected along with other associated health
problems. Usually, the treatment consists of measures that can
help control the signs and symptoms, minimize complications,
and slow down the progression of the disease.

How to Prevent Chronic Kidney Diseases?
Chronic kidney disease cannot be cured. It can either be prevented or treated if detected in the initial stages.
The best way to prevent chronic kidney disease is by taking charge of your health. For this,
Keep your blood sugar and blood
pressure under control.
Take your medicines on time, as
prescribed by the doctor.
Follow a low-fat, low-salt diet.
Include green veggies in your diet.
Avoid processed and junk food
products.
Say no to carbonated beverages and
sugary drinks.
Quit smoking and drinking alcohol.
Exercise regularly; include at least 30
minutes of brisk walk in your routine.
Get your kidney function tests
done at regular interval.
Be careful while taking over-the-counter
pain medicines and laxatives too often.
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How to Prevent Chronic Kidney Diseases?
At EPIC Health, we offer comprehensive assistance for the
early detection and prevention of chronic kidney disease. Our
expert urologists study your symptoms and associated heath
conditions to score out your risk of developing the disease.
Through rigorous tests and kidney screenings, they find out
your glomerular filtration rate and/or the presence of
proteins in your urine to evaluate the condition and
functioning of your kidneys.
Our in-house dieticians and exercise physiologists work
with you to help you improve your lifestyle habits and
inculcate regular exercise and healthy eating practices
for your absolute health and well-being.
Request an online appointment
with our healthcare experts for
kidney infection detection and
prevention.
We can help you live happy, healthy, and better!

THANK YOU
www.epichs.org
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