Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
We regularly review patient records to ensure all coding and diagnoses are up to date. One area we are concentrating on is identifying patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although this term sounds scary, it is generally not something to worry about. We have added this code to your records and you will be invited in for an annual review on or around your birthday month. We will monitor the health of your kidneys every year by checking your blood pressure, blood tests and a urine test. In most of these cases, CKD does not progress to the severe stage.
What is CKD?
CKD is a common, long-term condition where the kidneys do not work as well as they should. It is often associated with getting older, over time, your kidney function can gradually decline - about half of people aged over 75yr have CKD. People with diabetes and hypertension are more likely to develop CKD.
Are there any symptoms?
There are usually no symptoms of kidney disease in the early stages. It may only be diagnosed if you have a blood or urine test for another reason and the results show a possible problem with your kidneys. We specifically look for a marker called eGFR, levels consistently below 60 could indicate CKD.
Why has it not been picked up before?
The diagnosis can be made (and code added to your records) when you have had at least 2-3 kidney blood tests in the mildly abnormal range. It is useful to have results 3 months apart to look for a trend or pattern. Kidney tests can go up and down depending on how much water you drink, medication you take and if you have recently been unwell. It may not have been picked up as your kidney test has been very stable and only mildly outside of normal range.
Why is it important I know about CKD?
CKD is generally a mild condition with no or few symptoms, it is very rare that CKD progresses to kidney failure (around 2 in 100 people with the condition). If you have CKD, even if it's mild, you're at an increased risk of developing other problems, such as cardiovascular disease (this is a group of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, which includes heart attacks and stroke).
Some medications aren’t recommended for people with CKD, e.g. some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicines. Identifying CKD means we can use other drugs that would be safer. It may be that lifestyle changes help people with CKD to remain as healthy as possible.
It may be that lifestyle changes help you to remain as healthy as possible. Sometimes we recommend medication to reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems e.g. blood pressure or cholesterol medication.
What do I need to do next?
Nothing, we will contact you to arrange a review over the next year - on or around your birthday month. You will be asked to have some bloods, do a urine test and submit a blood pressure reading (if these have not been completed in the last 12 months).
If you would like to talk about CKD or the medication recommended above, do get in touch and request a routine appointment.
There is information on the NHS website about useful lifestyle measures that can reduce the impact of CKD on your health.
This patient leaflet explains in more depth about CKD and kidney disease.
