Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney Disease
An overview of chronic kidney disease and the status of county-level kidney measures (historical only).
Beginner explanation
The kidneys, each about the size of a computer mouse, filter all the blood in the body about every 30 minutes, removing wastes, toxins and extra fluid. They also help control blood pressure, signal the body to make red blood cells, keep bones healthy and regulate essential blood chemicals.[1]
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as well as they should, so extra fluid and waste stay in the body. CKD usually gets worse slowly over time, but treatment can slow it down.[1, 2]
CKD is common and often hidden: CDC estimates that more than 1 in 7 U.S. adults has CKD, and that as many as 9 in 10 of them do not know it.[1]
Key definitions
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- Long-term kidney damage that reduces the kidneys’ ability to filter blood.
- Kidney failure / end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)
- When the kidneys stop working and dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed to survive.
- Dialysis
- A treatment that filters the blood when the kidneys cannot.
- Creatinine and urine protein tests
- Blood and urine tests used to check for CKD.
- Edema
- Swelling — often in the legs, feet or ankles — that can occur when the kidneys cannot remove extra fluid and salt.
Condition characteristics
Most people in the early stages of CKD have no symptoms; the only way to know for sure is through blood and urine tests. As CKD becomes advanced, symptoms may include:[1, 2]
- Loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting
- Feeling tired or having sleep problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Changes in how often a person urinates, or foamy urine
- Itching, numbness, dry or darkened skin
- Muscle cramps, chest pain or shortness of breath
- Worsening swelling
Source[2]
Complications can include heart and blood vessel disease (including heart attack and stroke), high blood pressure, anemia, bone and mineral disorders and high potassium. Not everyone with CKD progresses to kidney failure.[1, 2]
Risk factors
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney failure in the United States, accounting for 2 out of 3 new cases. About 1 in 3 adults with diabetes and about 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure has CKD.[1, 3]
Other risk factors include heart disease (including heart failure), a family history of kidney disease, overweight or obesity (which raise the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure) and older age. The longer someone has had diabetes, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, the more likely CKD becomes.[2, 3]
NIDDK notes that African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander people are more likely to have advanced kidney disease, and that higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure may contribute.[2]
Prevention and public health context
CDC recommends steps that lower risk or slow CKD: keeping blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg (or the target a doctor sets), staying in the target blood-sugar range for people with diabetes, being physically active, losing weight if needed, quitting smoking, and getting tested regularly if at risk.[1]
Because so many people do not know they have CKD, testing people at higher risk — especially those with diabetes or high blood pressure — is central to catching it early, when treatment works best.[1, 2]
Texas data context
PLACES published a chronic kidney disease measure — adults who report ever being told by a health professional that they have kidney disease — but CDC discontinued it beginning with the 2024 release. MedEquity therefore shows it only for the 2023 release (2021 survey data) and labels it historical.[4]
Self-reported CKD is a weak measure of the real burden, because most people with CKD do not know they have it. No current verified county measure of kidney disease is available.[1, 5]
Related measures on the Explore map
- Chronic kidney disease among adults (historical) (modeled estimate)
Advanced material (optional)
People with CKD have a higher risk of acute kidney injury — a sudden loss of kidney function caused by illness, injury or certain medicines — which can cause further damage.[2]
CDC reports that about 360 people begin dialysis treatment for kidney failure every day in the United States, and that CKD care for Medicare beneficiaries cost $95.7 billion in 2022.[1]
References
- Chronic Kidney Disease Basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/about/index.html (accessed 2026-10-18).
- What Is Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults?. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH). https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/what-is-chronic-kidney-disease (accessed 2026-10-18).
- Risk Factors for Chronic Kidney Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/risk-factors/index.html (accessed 2026-10-18).
- PLACES Measure Definitions: Health Outcomes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions/health-outcomes.html (accessed 2026-10-18).
- PLACES: Frequently Asked Questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/places/faqs/index.html (accessed 2026-10-18).