• Diabetes is a major cause of kidney disease.
• Diabetes is a major cause of kidney disease.
• Heart disease can affect how well your your loved one's kidneys function.
• High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major cause of kidney disease.
• Family history is a risk factor of kidney disease. People are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop kidney disease if they have family members with kidney disease, who have been on dialysis, or have received a kidney transplant.

Being overweight can lead to health problems that can cause kidney disease.

People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander heritage may be at an increased risk for kidney disease.

There are also non-medical reasons why people develop kidney disease, including where they live or work, their diet, exercise habits, and access to medical care.

For more information:
Family History and Kidney Diseases
Inherited Kidney Disease
Genetics and Kidney Disease

Understand your results.

Understand their results.

Being overweight can lead to health problems that can cause kidney disease.

People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander heritage may be at an increased risk for kidney disease.

There are also non-medical reasons why people develop kidney disease, including where they live or work, their diet, exercise habits, and access to medical care.

For more information:
Family History and Kidney Diseases
Inherited Kidney Disease
Genetics and Kidney Disease

Know the facts.

Did you know that mild or even asymptomatic COVID-19 may increase your risk of kidney disease?

Did you know that mild or even asymptomatic COVID-19 may increase your loved one’s risk of kidney disease?

So can non-medical factors such as:

• Where you live.
• Where you work.
• The foods you eat.
• How often you exercise.
• If you can receive the medical attention you need.

• Where they live.
• Where they work.
• The foods they eat.
• How often they exercise.
• If they can receive the medical attention they need.

Talk to your doctor.

Talk to a doctor.

Contact a healthcare professional to see if an in-person visit, telehealth appointment, or home test is best for you.

Contact a healthcare professional to see if an in-person visit, telehealth appointment, or home test is best for your loved one.

A healthcare professional can diagnose kidney disease with two simple lab tests:

• eGFR (blood test)
• uACR (urine test)

Ask your doctor these questions:

Encourage your loved one to ask a doctor these questions:

• What can cause kidney disease? How are my pre-existing conditions related to kidney disease?
• Are my kidneys healthy?
• Have I been tested for kidney disease with a urine or blood test?
• Do I have albumin or protein in my urine? What does that mean? Can you talk me through my urine test results?
• What are my lab test results as they relate to kidney function? Can you explain them to me in more detail?
• What can I do to keep my kidneys healthy?

Print these questions to bring with you to your doctor.

Print these questions for your loved one to bring to their doctor.

Talk to your doctor.

Contact a healthcare professional to see if an in-person visit, telehealth appointment, or home test is best for you.

Talk to a doctor.

Contact a healthcare professional to see if an in-person visit, telehealth appointment, or home test is best for your loved one.

Ask your doctor these questions at your next visit:

Encourage your loved one to ask a doctor these questions:

• What can cause kidney disease? How are my pre-existing conditions related to kidney disease?
• Are my kidneys healthy?
• Have I been tested for kidney disease with a urine or blood test?
• Do I have albumin or protein in my urine? What does that mean? Can you talk me through my urine test results?
• What are my lab test results as they relate to kidney function? Can you explain them to me in more detail?
• What can I do to keep my kidneys healthy?

Print these questions to bring with you to your doctor.

Print these questions for your loved one to bring to their doctor.