Key points
- Health care providers play a critical role in identifying and managing chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Timely screening and treatment can help prevent or delay CKD and its complications.
- Screen your high-risk patients early for CKD, when treatment is most effective.
Importance of CKD screening and early detection
CKD affects more than 35 million adults in the United States, and most are undiagnosed. CKD often develops without symptoms and is a common complication of diabetes and high blood pressure.
Health care providers play a critical role in screening patients at risk for CKD and offering treatment early.
Simple blood and urine tests can catch this common disease in its early stages, when treatment is most effective.
Focus screening efforts on high-risk patients, such as those with high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. A family history of kidney disease and a history of acute kidney injury are also key risk factors.
Watch this brief video for more about screening patients for CKD.
For more information and resources, visit www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease.