Probability of Having Chronic Kidney Disease
14%
Lifetime probability in US
About 14% of US adults (37 million people) have chronic kidney disease, with most being unaware they have it.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 37 million US adults (14% of the population), making it more common than diabetes. Alarmingly, about 90% of people with CKD don't know they have it because early stages produce no symptoms. CKD disproportionately affects Black Americans (about 16%), Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans.
The two leading causes of CKD are diabetes (38% of cases) and hypertension (26%). Other risk factors include cardiovascular disease, obesity, family history, age over 60, smoking, and overuse of NSAIDs. CKD is classified into five stages based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), with Stage 5 (end-stage renal disease) requiring dialysis or kidney transplant.
About 808,000 Americans are living with kidney failure, with approximately 71% on dialysis and 29% with a functioning kidney transplant. CKD is the 8th leading cause of death in the US. Early detection through simple blood and urine tests allows interventions that can slow progression: blood pressure control (target below 130/80), blood sugar management, SGLT2 inhibitors (which have revolutionized CKD treatment), reduced sodium intake, and avoiding nephrotoxic medications.
Use This in a Decision
Plug this probability into our expected value calculator to make a data-driven decision.
Start a Decision