Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term condition where the kidneys do not work as well as they should.

It's a common condition often associated with getting older. It can affect anyone, but it's more common in people who are black or of south Asian origin.

CKD can get worse over time and eventually the kidneys may stop working altogether, but this is uncommon. Many people with CKD are able to live long lives with the condition.

Symptoms of CKD

There are usually no symptoms of kidney disease in the early stages. It may only be diagnosed if you have a blood or urine test for another reason and the results show a possible problem with your kidneys.

At a more advanced stage, symptoms can include:

• tiredness
• swollen ankles, feet or hands
• shortness of breath
• feeling sick
• blood in your pee (urine)

See a GP if you have persistent or worrying symptoms that you think could be caused by kidney disease.

Find out more about the symptoms of CKD.

Causes of CKD

Chronic kidney disease is usually caused by other conditions that put a strain on the kidneys. Often it's the result of a combination of different problems.

CKD can be caused by:

• high blood pressure – over time, this can put strain on the small blood vessels in the kidneys and stop the kidneys working properly
• diabetes – too much glucose in your blood can damage the tiny filters in the kidneys
• high cholesterol – this can cause a build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels supplying your kidneys, which can make it harder for them to work properly
• kidney infections
• glomerulonephritis – kidney inflammation
• autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease – an inherited condition where growths called cysts develop in the kidneys
• blockages in the flow of urine – for example, from kidney stones that keep coming back, or an enlarged prostate
• long-term, regular use of certain medicines – such as lithium and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

You can help prevent CKD by making healthy lifestyle changes and ensuring any underlying conditions you have are well controlled.

Tests for CKD

CKD can be diagnosed using blood and urine tests. These tests look for high levels of certain substances in your blood and urine that are signs your kidneys are not working properly.

If you're at a high risk of developing kidney disease (for example, you have a known risk factor such as high blood pressure or diabetes), you may be advised to have regular tests to check for CKD so it's found at an early stage.

The results of your blood and urine tests can be used to tell the stage of your kidney disease. This is a number that reflects how severe the damage to your kidneys is, with a higher number indicating more serious CKD.

Find out more about how CKD is diagnosed.

Treatments for CKD

There's no cure for CKD, but treatment can help relieve the symptoms and stop it getting worse.

Your treatment will depend on how severe your condition is.

The main treatments are:

• lifestyle changes to help you remain as healthy as possible
• medicine to control associated problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol
• dialysis – treatment to replicate some of the kidney's functions; this may be necessary in advanced CKD
• kidney transplant – this may also be necessary in advanced CKD

You'll also be advised to have regular check-ups to monitor your condition.

Find out more about how CKD is treated and living with CKD.

Outlook for CKD

CKD can range from a mild condition with no or few symptoms, to a very serious condition where the kidneys stop working, sometimes called kidney failure.

Most people with CKD will be able to control their condition with medicine and regular check-ups. CKD only progresses to kidney failure in around 2 in 100 people with the condition.

If you have CKD, even if it's mild, you're at an increased risk of developing other serious problems, such as cardiovascular disease. This is a group of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, which includes heart attack and stroke.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death in people with kidney disease, although healthy lifestyle changes and medicine can help reduce your risk of developing it.

Healthy eating for people with CKD stages 1, 2 & 3

The National Kidney Federation has a dietary information leaflet for people who have stage 1,2 & 3  Chronic Kidney Disease (please see attached). This leaflet was kindly produced for us by the Renal Nutrition Group. We would be delighted if GPs would either display a few copies of this A5 leaflet in their surgery waiting rooms or signpost patients to our website at www.kidney.org.uk  Hard copies can be requested by emailing helpline@kidney.org.uk  We will be happy to mail them out to your practice.

Parkinson's

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. People with Parkinson's don't have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brain because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working. There are many potential signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s and each person can experience them differently. 

Around 153,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK. And it's the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.

Parkinsonism is a term that covers several conditions, including Parkinson’s and others with similar symptoms. Some, including healthcare professionals and people with the condition, call it Parkinson’s disease, or PD for short.

We call it Parkinson’s. We don’t use the word ‘disease’ because some people with Parkinson’s have told us it sounds negative, or like an infectious illness. But unlike the flu or measles, you can't catch Parkinson's from someone.

We don't yet know exactly why people get Parkinson's. Researchers think it's a combination of age, genetic, and environmental factors that cause the dopamine-producing nerve cells to die.

Types of Parkinson's

Parkinsonism is a term that covers several conditions. This includes Parkinson’s and other conditions with similar symptoms such as slow movement, rigidity (stiffness) and problems with walking.

There are three main forms of parkinsonism:

• idiopathic Parkinson's
• vascular parkinsonism
• drug-induced parkinsonism

Parkinson's UK

Need to talk to someone?

Parkinson's UK helpline and Parkinson's advisers are here to answer any questions you have about Parkinson's.

Call them on 0808 800 0303.

More about the helpline and Parkinson's advisers

Croydon age UK

Croydon and District Branch

Our group offers friendship and support locally to people with Parkinson’s, their families and carers, contact us to find out more.

For information and advice on Parkinson's, or for emotional support, call the Parkinson's UK helpline on 0808 800 0303

Contact

For information about our group’s activities, contact Jan Williams

020 7963 3612

jwilliams@parkinsons.org.uk

Contact

For advice on Parkinson’s, or emotional support contact the Parkinson’s UK Helpline Monday to Friday: 9am to 6pm, Saturday: 10am to 2pm

0808 800 0303

hello@parkinsons.org.uk