What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?
CKD means your blood test results have shown a small reduction in your kidney function. The result may be temporary and kidney function can improve.

How common is CKD?
About 1 in 10 people have some degree of CKD. It becomes more common with increasing age, although it can develop at any time.

About half of people aged 75 or more have CKD.

What causes CKD?
The commonest causes of CKD are ageing kidneys and high blood pressure.

Is CKD serious?
Most people with CKD do not have any symptoms. The clinicians at Downs Way Medical Practice will have looked at your blood result and the surgery will contact you if further action needs to be taken. In most cases there is no further action apart from repeating the blood test in a year.

For others it may mean repeating the blood test sooner and sending a urine sample off to the hospital for analysis. If this is the case the surgery will contact you.

What is the treatment for CKD?
For the majority of patients we just need to monitor the condition. If you need more tests the surgery will contact you. In some cases the surgery may ask you to have your blood pressure checked or review your medication.

Why haven’t I been told I have CKD?
Most cases of CKD show a very small drop in kidney function and require little more than monitoring. Kidney function can also improve. If the practice feels more needs to be done they will contact you.

Why have I been invited to have a Swine Flu vaccine?
The Department of Health has identified patients at increased risk of complications from Swine Flu. They have included patients with CKD with the aim of vaccinating all of them regardless of whether they have mild or severe forms of the condition. Therefore patients with mild CKD have been included.

Downs Way Medical Practice advises you to have the vaccine even if you have mild CKD.