Testing and Treatment: Find it Early, Treat it Early

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  • Test for CKD regularly in people who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other risk factors for CKD. People with CKD may not feel ill or notice any symptoms until CKD is advanced.
  • The only way to find out if people have CKD is through simple blood and urine tests. The blood test checks for the level of creatinine, a waste product produced by muscles, to see how well the kidneys work. The urine test checks for protein, which may indicate kidney damage.
  • Following a healthy diet and taking medicine for diabetes, medicine for high blood pressure, and other medicines to protect the kidneys may keep CKD from getting worse and may prevent other health problems such as heart disease.

Treatment to Lower Blood Sugar†

  • Newer blood sugar–lowering medicines, such as GLP1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and DPP-4 inhibitors, have been approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). These medicines were recently recommended for people with both diabetes and CKD to reduce risks for kidney disease progression or cardiovascular complications. Percentages of adults with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes who are prescribed these blood sugar–lowering medicines differ by age and race/ethnicity:
    • Adults with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are more likely to be prescribed newer blood sugar–lowering medicines if they are aged 45–64 years (21%) and 65 years or older (18%) than if they are aged 18–44 years (11%).
    • Adult women with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are about as likely to be prescribed newer blood sugar–lowering medicines (18%) as adult men (15%).
    • Non-Hispanic White adults (20%) and Non-Hispanic Black adults (20%) with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are more likely to be prescribed newer blood sugar–lowering medicines than Hispanic adults (8%) or non-Hispanic Asian adults (6%)

Percentage of US Adults Aged 18 Years and Older With Both CKD and Diagnosed Diabetes Who Were Prescribed Newer Blood Sugar–Lowering Medications,† by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity

Treatment to Lower Blood Pressure†

  • Blood pressure–lowering medicines are recommended for people with both diabetes and CKD. Percentages of adults with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes who are prescribed blood pressure–lowering medicines differ by age, sex, and race/ethnicity:
    • Adults with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are more likely to be prescribed blood pressure medicines if they are 45–64 years (63%) or 65 years or older (71%) than if they are 18–44 years (30%).
    • Adult women with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are more likely to be prescribed blood pressure medicines (53%) than adult men (45%).
    • Non-Hispanic Black adults with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are more likely to be prescribed blood pressure medicines (61%) than non-Hispanic White adults (45%) or non-Hispanic Asian adults (36%).
    • About 45% of Hispanic adults with both CKD and diagnosed diabetes are prescribed blood pressure medicines.

Percentage of US Adults Aged 18 Years and Older With Both CKD and Diagnosed Diabetes Who Were Prescribed Blood Pressure–Lowering Medications,† by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity

Table of Contents

  1. Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2023
  2. CKD Risk Factors
  3. ›Testing and Treatment: Find it Early, Treat it Early
  4. CKD-Related Health Problems
  5. People With CKD Can Lower Their Risk for Kidney Failure