Kidney alert

From 1988 to 2004, rates of chronic kidney disease climbed from 10 percent of the U.S. population to 13 percent. However, only about 1 in 8 men and 1 in 16 women with moderate (stage 3) kidney disease know they have it, reports a new study.

"Increases in diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and the aging U.S. population explain at least some of the increase," says co-author Paul W. Eggers, director of kidney disease epidemiology at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland.

"We don't know what may be responsible for the rest."

What to do: Ask your doctor about screening for kidney disease with a blood test (for creatinine) and a urine sample (for albumin). The sooner you know, the greater your odds of preventing irreversible kidney failure that requires dialysis or a transplant. You can also take steps to prevent a heart attack or stroke, which are more likely to strike people with kidney disease.

To lower your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, lose excess weight, get regular exercise, and eat a healthy, low-salt diet that's rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, and poultry.

J. Am. Med. Assoc. 298: 2038, 2007.

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