Chronic Kidney Disease

What Does it Mean for Me?
Chronic Kidney Disease: The Basics

You’ve been told that you have chronic kidney disease (CKD). 

What does that mean? And what does it mean for your 

health and your life? This booklet will help answer some of 

the questions you might have.

You have two kidneys, each about 

the size of your fist. Their main job

is to filter wastes and excess water 

out of your blood to make urine. 

They also keep the body’s chemical

balance, help control blood pressure,

and make hormones.

kidneys

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CKD means that your kidneys are damaged and 

can’t filter blood like they should. This damage can 

cause wastes to build up in your body. It can also 

cause other problems that can harm your health. 

CKD is often a “progressive” disease, which means 

it can get worse over time. CKD may lead to kidney 

failure. The only treatment options for kidney 

failure are dialysis or a kidney transplant. 

You can take steps to keep your kidneys healthier longer:

n Choose foods with less salt (sodium). 

n Keep your blood pressure below 130/80. 

n Keep your blood glucose in the target range, 

if you have diabetes.

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CKD and My Health

How does my health care provider know 

I have CKD?

Chances are, you feel normal and were surprised to 

hear that you have CKD. It is called a “silent” disease, 

because many people don’t have any symptoms until their 

kidneys are about to fail. The only way to know is to 

get your kidneys checked with blood and urine tests. 

1. A blood test checks your GFR, which tells how 

well your kidneys are filtering. GFR stands for 

glomerular filtration rate.

2. A urine test checks for albumin. Albumin is a 

protein that can pass into the urine when the 

kidneys are damaged. See picture below.

Inside a healthy kidney Inside a damaged kidney

These two tests are used to monitor CKD and make 

sure that treatment is working. See pages 9 and 10 to 

learn more about these tests and track your results. 

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What causes CKD?

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common 

causes of CKD. There are other causes, too. 

Your provider will look at your health history and 

may do other tests. You need to know why you 

have CKD, so your treatment can also address the 

cause of the CKD.

What medicines are used to treat CKD?

People with CKD often take medicines to lower 

blood pressure, control blood glucose, and lower 

blood cholesterol. Two types of blood pressure 

medicines—ACE inhibitors and ARBs—may slow 

CKD and delay kidney failure, even in people who 

don’t have high blood pressure. Many people 

need to take two or more medicines for their blood 

pressure. They also may need to take a diuretic 

(water pill). The goal is to keep your blood pressure 

below 130/80.

Do I need to change my medicines?

Some medicines are not safe for people with CKD. 

Other medicines need to be taken in smaller doses. 

Tell your provider about all the medicines you take, 

including over-the-counter medicines (those you get 

without a prescription), vitamins, and supplements.

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Can CKD affect my health in other ways? 

People with CKD often have high blood pressure. 

They can also develop anemia (low number of 

red blood cells), bone disease, malnutrition, and 

heart and blood vessel diseases. 

What tests will help track my CKD? 

The blood and urine tests used to check for CKD are 

also used to monitor CKD. You need to keep track 

of your test results to see how you’re doing. 

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Track your blood pressure. In most cases, you should 

keep it below 130/80. 

If you have diabetes, monitor your blood glucose and 

keep it in your target range. Like high blood pressure, 

high blood glucose can be harmful to your kidneys.

See page 9 of this booklet for more information on 

tracking your test results. 

Will I have to go on dialysis?

Some people live with CKD for years without going 

on dialysis. Others progress quickly to kidney failure. 

You may delay dialysis if you follow your provider’s 

advice on medicine, diet, and lifestyle changes.

If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a 

kidney transplant. Most people with kidney 

failure are treated with dialysis. 

Will I be able to get a kidney transplant 

instead of going on dialysis?

Some people with kidney failure may be able to 

receive a kidney transplant. The donated kidney 

can come from someone you don’t know who has 

recently died, or from a living person—a relative, 

spouse, or friend. A kidney transplant isn’t for everyone. 

You may have a condition that makes the transplant 

surgery dangerous or not likely to succeed.

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CKD and My Lifestyle 

People with CKD can and should continue to live their lives 

in a normal way: working, enjoying friends and family, and 

staying active. They also need to make some changes as 

explained here.

Do I need to change what I eat? 

What you eat may help to slow down CKD and keep 

your body healthier. Some points to keep in mind: 

Choose and prepare foods with 

less salt (sodium). Use less salt 

at the table.

Select the right kinds and smaller 

amounts of protein. 

Choose foods that are healthy 

for your heart, like lean cuts of 

meat, skinless chicken, fish, fruits, 

vegetables, and beans. 

Read the Nutrition Facts Label, 

especially for sodium, to help you 

pick the right foods and drinks.

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Your provider may refer you to a dietitian. 

Your dietitian will teach you how to choose 

foods that are easier on your kidneys. You will 

also learn about the nutrients that matter for CKD. 

Do I need to change what I drink?

n Water —You don’t need to drink more water 

unless you have kidney stones. Drink as much 

water as you normally do.

n S oda and other drinks — If you are told to limit 

phosphorus, choose light-colored soda (or pop), 

like lemon-lime, and homemade iced tea and 

lemonade. Dark-colored sodas, fruit punch, 

and some bottled and canned iced teas can have 

a lot of phosphorus.

n Juice — If you are told to limit potassium, 

drink apple, grape, or cranberry juice instead 

of orange juice.

n A lcohol — You may be able to drink small 

amounts of alcohol. Drinking too much can 

damage the liver, heart, and brain and cause 

serious health problems. 

Is smoking cigarettes bad for my kidneys? 

Take steps to quit smoking as soon as you can. 

Cigarette smoking can make kidney damage worse.

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CKD: Tracking My Test Results

You are the most important person on your health 

care team. Know your test results and track them 

over time to see how your kidneys are doing. 

Bring this card to your health care visits and ask 

your provider to complete it. 

Blood pressure — The most important thing you 

can do to slow down CKD is keep your blood 

pressure below 130/80. This can delay or prevent 

kidney failure. 

GFR — The GFR tells you how well your kidneys 

are filtering blood. You can’t raise your GFR. The goal 

is to keep your GFR from going down to prevent or 

delay kidney failure. See the dial picture below.

9

Urine albumin — Albumin is a protein in your blood 

that can pass into the urine when kidneys are damaged. 

You can’t undo kidney damage, but you may be able to 

lower the amount of albumin in your urine with treatment. 

Lowering your urine albumin is good for your kidneys. 

A1C — A1C test is a lab test that shows your average 

blood glucose level over the last 3 months. The goal is 

less than 7 for most people with diabetes. Lowering your 

A1C can help you to stay healthy. (For people with 

diabetes only.)

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Where can I get more information? 

National Kidney Disease Education Program 

www.nkdep.nih.gov

1-866-4 KIDNEY (1-866-454-3639)

National Kidney and Urologic Disease 

Information Clearinghouse 

www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov • 1-800-891-5390

American Association of Kidney Patients

www.aakp.org • 1-800-749-2257

American Kidney Fund

www.kidneyfund.org • 1-800-638-8299

National Kidney Foundation 

www.kidney.org • 1-800-622-9010

Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their own 

health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are 

widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. 

For more information, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services

National Institutes of Health National Kidney Disease

Education Program

The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) encourages people 

to get tested for kidney disease and educates those with kidney disease and 

their health care providers about treatments that can help delay or prevent 

kidney failure. NKDEP is a program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

NIH Publication No. 10-7408 • Printed April 2010
My Test Results

National Kidney Disease

Education Program

Tips for People with CKD 

n Choose foods with less salt

n Keep your blood pressure below 130/80

n Track your tests results 

n Keep your blood glucose in the target 

range—if you have diabetes

National Kidney Disease 

Education Program 

www.nkdep.nih.gov 

1-866-454-3639 (1-866-4 KIDNEY)
Test Result/Date Result/Date Result/Date Result/Date

Blood pressure

Goal: Less than 130/80

GFR 

Goal: Keep from going down

Urine albumin 

Goal: The lower the better

A1C (for people with diabetes) 

Goal: Less than 7