Testing and Treatment for Kidney Disease

Should you get tested for kidney disease?

Hi, I'm Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases at NIH.

Early kidney disease usually has no symptoms, so you should get tested for kidney disease if you have any of these risk factors: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure. Your doctor can test your blood and urine to find out if you have kidney disease. Ask your doctor how often you should get tested. Also, you should have your blood pressure checked because high blood pressure can be a sign of kidney disease.

If you find out that you do have early kidney disease, you can get treatment to help delay or prevent kidney failure. Treatment may include: changing your diet, exercising, and taking medication.

For more information, follow us @NIDDKgov. This is Dr. Griffin Rodgers.