Thousands of people could be at higher risk of kidney disease than they realise, a charity has warned after identifying tens of thousands with an elevated risk.
Kidney Care UK said that too many people are being diagnosed when their kidneys are already damaged.
More than 110,000 people have used the charity’s kidney health checker since it launched in October.
Of these, half were identified as being at high risk of having kidney disease.
People who are concerned about their kidney health have been urged to speak to their GP and ask for tests to check their kidney function.
Laurie Cuthbert, director at Kidney Care UK, said: “We are concerned that many thousands of people may be at higher risk than they realise which is why we are encouraging people to take a few minutes to check their risk with our online kidney health checker.
“The earlier chronic kidney disease is identified, more can be done to slow the decline in your kidney function.
“With dialysis units struggling with capacity and the transplant waiting list the highest it has been for a decade, we need to do more to help people keep their kidneys as healthy as possible, and avoid people developing kidney failure.”
You can lose 90% of your kidney function without realising & sadly, some people find this hard to believe. However, we know of kidney patients who have lived this experience
Get your FREE Kidney Health Check 👇 https://t.co/PAXZb78oHs #BloodyAmazingKidneys pic.twitter.com/vlzGULA9rj
— Kidney Care UK (@kidneycareuk) November 28, 2024
He added: “Anyone can develop kidney disease, but there are certain things that increase your risk, including having diabetes or high blood pressure.
“If you complete the checker and find you are at increased risk then please do not worry.
“The checker is not a diagnostic tool and can’t tell you if you have kidney disease, just that you are at increased risk of developing it.
“The signs of kidney disease can also be confused with other conditions and illnesses – but the reason why we launched our #BloodyAmazingKidneys awareness campaign was because people are not aware they might be at risk and they are not aware of the signs to look out for.
“If you have any concerns about your kidney health or risk of developing kidney disease please speak to your GP in the new year and ask them if they will run a blood and urine test to check your kidney function.”
Figures from the charity show that of the 112,150 people who have completed its online assessment tool, 50.3% have been identified as being at lower risk of kidney disease, and 49.7% have been identified as being at higher risk.
– The kidney health checker can be found at kidneycareuk.org/kidney-health-checker/
