How would I know if I have kidney disease?

Since many kidney diseases do not cause symptoms in the early stages, your doctor can do screening tests to see if you have kidney disease.

The main tests for kidney disease are:

• blood tests to measure the level of creatinine
• measuring the blood pressure and
• checking the urine for protein

Creatinine is a chemical normally found in the blood. Your kidneys filter the blood and excrete the excess creatinine. If the kidneys cannot get rid of the waste products, the level of creatinine in the blood rises. A person could even have a normal creatinine level in the blood, but have protein or blood in the urine, which may be signs of kidney disease.

High blood pressure can be caused by kidney disease, or can cause kidney disease. Therefore, high blood pressure can be an indication of kidney disease.

Protein in the urine is another sign of kidney disease. Sometimes urine will appear foamy or bubbly when protein is present. A urinalysis will check for protein, blood and white blood cells in the urine (which should not be there). Diabetics should have a yearly urine test for microalbumin, small amounts of protein that don't show up on standard urine protein test.

It is important for people who are at risk for developing kidney disease to be checked regularly. People who are highest risk for kidney disease are those with:

• diabetes
• high blood pressure or
• a family member with kidney disease