Kidney Disease
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Kidney disease is often called a "silent" disease, because most people have no symptoms before they are diagnosed. In fact, you might feel just fine until your kidneys have almost stopped working. Do NOT wait for symptoms!
Tests to Diagnose Kidney Disease
Lab tests are the only way to know if you have kidney disease. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or another risk factor, ask about your kidneys at your next medical appointment. Again, the only way to know if you have kidney disease is to get tested. And the sooner kidney disease is found, the sooner you can take steps to keep your kidneys healthier longer.
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A blood test and a urine test are used to find kidney disease. If you have diabetes, you should get both of these tests every year. If you have high blood pressure, you should also get tested regularly -- ask your health care provider how often.
Blood Test
The blood test helps your doctor measure how much blood your kidneys filter each minute. This shows how well your kidneys are working. The test is called "GFR" (which stands for glomerular filtration rate).
GFR is reported as a number. A GFR of 60 or lower may mean you have kidney disease. However, because GFR decreases as people age, other information may be needed to determine if you actually have kidney disease if you are older and your GFR is decreased. You can't raise your GFR, but you can try to keep it from going lower. Ask your healthcare provider what you can do to keep your kidneys healthy.
Urine Test
The urine test looks for protein in your urine, which is a sign of kidney damage. This test has several different names. You could be told that you are being screened for "proteinuria" or "albuminuria" or "microalbuminuria." ("Albumin" is a type of protein, and "micro" means a small amount of it.) Or you could be told that your "urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio" (UACR) is being measured.
If you have albumin or protein in your urine, it could mean you have kidney disease. Your healthcare provider might do additional tests to be sure.
