{"id":49717,"date":"2022-03-01T17:44:38","date_gmt":"2022-03-01T22:44:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=49717"},"modified":"2026-03-27T15:16:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T19:16:23","slug":"kidney-disease-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/kidney-disease-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Kidney disease statistics"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is kidney disease?<\/a> | How common is kidney disease?<\/a> | Global kidney disease stats<\/a> | U.S. kidney disease stats<\/a> | Kidney disease stats by condition<\/a> | Kidney disease stats by age<\/a> | Kidney disease stats by sex<\/a> | Kidney disease stats by race\/ethnicity<\/a> | Common complications<\/a> | Costs<\/a> | Causes<\/a> | Prevention<\/a> | Treatment<\/a> | FAQs<\/a> | Research<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

March is National Kidney Month<\/a>. Kidney disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the <\/span>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a> (CDC), a staggering 37 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease in the U.S. There are several different types of kidney disease, including chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI). CKD refers to a progressive loss of kidney function over time, while AKI refers to sudden, but temporary, loss of kidney function due to illness or injury.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKidney disease is called a silent disease because it may have no symptoms in the early stages and thus not be accurately assessed until it\u2019s advanced,\u201d says <\/span>Carrie Lam<\/span><\/a>, MD, a physician at the Lam Clinic. \u201cPossibly because of this, kidney disease kills more people than breast or prostate cancer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kidney disease can affect people in different ways. It may go undiagnosed for years before symptoms start to show, or it may progress quickly over several months. Because of this, it’s important to be aware of the true significance of the statistics, which can help to have a better understanding of kidney disease and how it affects people’s lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is kidney disease?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Kidney disease refers to damage to the kidneys, <\/span>according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases<\/span><\/a>. These two bean-shaped organs are in the back of the abdomen, near the middle of the body. Their main function is to filter waste products from the blood. If they fail to filter blood properly, these wastes build up in the body and can cause fluid imbalances, high blood pressure, weakness and fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and anemia, along with a host of other symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main diagnostic tool for kidney disease is a blood test that shows the presence of abnormal amounts of certain waste products in the blood, including <\/span>serum creatinine<\/span><\/a>. Doctors measure the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to determine the blood filtration rate of kidneys. Urine tests can also reveal evidence of kidney disease by detecting the presence of blood or albuminuria\u2014an excess amount of a protein called albumin in the urine.<\/span><\/p>\n

If kidney disease is suspected, further imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan, may be recommended to check for signs of damage. A biopsy may be taken to examine the tissue and cells of the kidneys for a proper diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What to know about chronic kidney disease (and how to prevent it)<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

How common is kidney disease?<\/span><\/h2>\n