6 of 10 Americans Will Develop Kidney Disease

Nearly six of ten Americans will develop kidney disease in their lifetime, according to a new analysis published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease. 

In comparison, lifetime risk of diabetes, heart attack and invasive cancer is approximately four in ten.

Photo (Courtesy of kidney.org)

As a result of this and previous studies, the National Kidney Foundation is calling on healthcare professionals to screen patients in specific high–risk groups for kidney disease – those age 60 or older and those with high blood pressure or diabetes – by adding a simple urine albumin test for kidney damage to annual physical examinations.

African Americans had a greater risk of developing more advanced disease and developing kidney disease earlier. In contrast, the overall risk was highest in women due to their higher life expectancy and the dramatic rise of kidney disease risk with older age. 

The authors also noted that kidney disease risk appears to be increasing over the past decades, suggesting their results based on the average risk may be conservative. The rise in obesity and diabetes over the past decades may further increase the lifetime risk of kidney disease. Read Full article  


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