1 in 10 Canadians has kidney disease and millions more are at risk.

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1 1 in 10 Canadians has kidney disease and millions more are at risk.

2 1 in 10 Canadians has kidney disease and most of them do not know it. There are often no symptoms when your kidneys start to fail, so people may not find out that they have kidney disease until they have already lost most of their kidney function. That is why screening and early detection are so important. This pamphlet will help you to find out if you re at risk of having kidney disease. If you are, you should ask your doctor about having your kidney function checked. It also offers simple advice that will help you to keep your kidneys healthy, longer.

3 Your kidneys are essential! Your kidneys make urine to clean out the extra water and waste products from your body and they also produce hormones that help your body make red blood cells and control your blood pressure. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) happens when your kidneys are damaged or start losing the ability to provide these essential functions for more than three months. Kidney failure is when your kidneys no longer clean much if any extra water and waste products from your blood. Most people do not progress to kidney failure, especially if they are diagnosed early and are able to take steps to protect their remaining kidney function.

4 Am I at Risk? To prevent kidney disease, or detect it early, it is important to learn about your risk factors. There are 10 key risk factors for kidney disease. Take a few minutes to read through this list of questions. The answers you provide will help you know if you should talk to your doctor about having your kidney function checked. 1. Do you have diabetes? Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can damage the fragile filtering system of your kidneys. 2. Do you currently smoke? In addition to increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, lung disease and cancer, smoking also increases the risk of kidney disease. 3. Do you have high blood pressure? High blood pressure (also called hypertension) is a leading cause of kidney disease. Poorly controlled high blood pressure can cause rapid loss of kidney function by damaging the tiny filters of the kidney. 4. Have you had some type of blood vessel (vascular) disease such as heart attack, stroke, limb amputation, hardening of the arteries, or poor circulation in your legs? Vascular diseases can narrow the arteries which supply blood to the kidneys this can cause kidney damage.

5 5. Do you have a family history of kidney disease? If your mother, father, sister or brother have kidney disease you are also at risk for kidney disease. This is because some kidney diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD), are passed from one generation to another. 6. Are you currently overweight or obese? (If you aren t sure, you can check your Body Mass Index (BMI) on the Dietitians of Canada website) at If you are overweight or obese you are more likely to develop medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes that cause kidney damage. 7. Do you regularly take over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen (popular brand names include Advil, Aleve and Midol ). Taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen and naproxen regularly and/or over an extended period of time can cause kidney damage. If you use these medications daily or very often, speak with your doctor or your pharmacist to find out if it is safe for you to take them as frequently. 8. Have you ever had a urine test that was positive for blood or protein? If protein is detected in the urine it is a sign that the filters of the kidney are being damaged. If you ve had blood or protein in your urine you should speak to your doctor about testing to monitor how well your kidneys are functioning.

6 9. Have you ever had one or more of the following: multiple kidney stones, multiple urine infections, kidney surgery, enlarged prostate gland, cancer of the prostate gland, and/or bladder cancer? Issues and diseases involving the urinary system and/or the prostate gland can cause scarring of the kidneys and lead to reduced kidney function. 10. Are you of Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian, African- Caribbean, or Hispanic descent? Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian, African- Caribbean and Hispanic communities have higher rates of diabetes and blood pressure the two biggest risk factors for kidney disease. How many risk factors do you have? (Write the number in the box.) YOUR RISK FACTORS If you have 8 or more risk factors, you should try to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider within the next 3 months to have your kidney function checked. Bring this information with you to review together. If you have 1-7 risk factors, you should ask your healthcare provider about having a blood and urine test to check your kidney function the next time you have an appointment (e.g. at your annual checkup) and bring this information for you to review together.

7 How to reduce your risk of kidney disease: One of the most important ways to preserve your kidney function is to gain control over other medical conditions you may have. The first step is to follow the advice of your healthcare providers and to take your medications as prescribed. If you have diabetes, it is important that you keep your blood sugar levels under control. Test your own blood sugars regularly as directed by your healthcare provider. Have an A1C test at least twice a year to find out how well your blood sugar levels are being controlled. Improving blood pressure control has proven to slow and, in some cases, stop kidney damage. Your healthcare provider can suggest ways to manage your blood pressure and help you achieve your blood pressure goal. If you are overweight, even a small (5%-10%) weight loss can have health benefits. Speak to a doctor or a registered dietitian about physical activity and a healthy eating plan to help you with your weight loss goals. If you are a smoker, quitting smoking can stop or even reverse the damage done to your kidneys. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about medication, resources and support that might work for you. Visit for more information about kidney disease, and for great tasting, low sodium and kidney-friendly recipes.

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