Know Your Risk for CKD
If you are living with diabetes, you are at higher risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is a serious condition, and its early stages have symptoms that are so mild you don’t notice them. You can find out if you have CKD early by getting checked at your regular health care visits. If you find out you have CKD, you’ll work with your health care team to create a treatment plan to stay healthy.
Knowing your risk and getting tested for CKD are important steps to protect your kidney health.
Why Kidney Screenings Matter
Your kidneys help filter waste from your blood. Over time, high blood glucose (blood sugar) and high blood pressure can damage your kidneys. Because CKD often develops without symptoms you can notice, getting checked for it regularly is the best way to find out about kidney problems early. This way, you can start a treatment plan as early as possible to protect your kidney health.
Kidney Health Tests
Your kidney health is checked with two simple tests that you can get during your regular health care visits:
- Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This urine test checks for albumin, a type of protein that can leak into your urine when kidneys are damaged. Even small amounts of albumin may be an early sign of kidney disease.
- Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). This blood test measures creatinine in your blood to see how well your kidneys filter waste. This helps you know how well your kidneys are working, and if you have CKD, the stage you have.
