Key Takeaways
- Understanding chronic kidney disease seniors is important for seniors and their caregivers.
- The early symptoms of CKD are the same as for many other illnesses.
- Most people will have high blood pressure at all stages of CKD.
- Blood pressure control
- More information and support for people with CKD and their families can be found at a
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What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
Understanding chronic kidney disease seniors is important for seniors and their caregivers. cKD slowly gets worse over months or years. You may not notice any symptoms for some time. The loss of function may be so slow that you do not have symptoms until your kidneys have almost stopped working.
The final stage of CKD is called
end-stage renal disease
(ESRD). At this stage, the kidneys are no longer able to remove enough wastes and excess fluids from the body. At this point, you would need dialysis or a
kidney transplant
.
Diabetes
and
high blood pressure
are the 2 most common causes of CKD and account for most cases.
Many other diseases and conditions can damage the kidneys, including:
-
Autoimmune disorders (such as
systemic lupus erythematosus
and
scleroderma
)
-
Birth defects of the kidneys (such as
polycystic kidney disease
)
- Some toxic chemicals
- Injury to the kidney
-
Kidney stones
and infection
- Problems with the arteries feeding the kidneys
- Some medicines, such as antibiotics, and pain and cancer medicines
-
Backward flow of urine into the kidneys (
reflux nephropathy
)
CKD can cause a buildup of fluid and waste products in the body. This condition affects most body systems and functions, including:
-
High blood pressure
- Low blood cell count
- Vitamin D and bone health
What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
The early symptoms of CKD are the same as for many other illnesses. These symptoms may be the only sign of a problem in the early stages.
Symptoms may include:
-
Appetite loss
-
General ill feeling
and
fatigue
-
Headaches
-
Itching (
pruritus)
and dry skin
-
Nausea
-
Weight loss
without trying to lose weight
Symptoms that may occur when kidney function has gotten worse include:
-
Abnormally dark or light skin
- Bone pain
-
Drowsiness
or problems concentrating or thinking
-
Numbness
in the hands and feet
-
Muscle twitching
or cramps
-
Breath odor
-
Easy
bruising
, or blood in the stool
-
Excessive thirst
-
Frequent
hiccups
- Problems with sexual function
-
Menstrual periods stop (
amenorrhea
)
-
Shortness of breath
-
Sleep problems
- Swelling in the hands and feet
-
Vomiting
📖 What Are Exams and Tests?
What Are Exams and Tests?
Most people will have high blood pressure at all stages of CKD. During an exam, your health care provider may also hear abnormal heart or lung sounds in your chest. You may have signs of nerve damage during a nervous system exam.
A
urinalysis
may show
protein
or other changes in your urine. These changes may appear months to years before symptoms appear.
Tests that check how well the kidneys are working include:
-
Creatinine clearance
-
Serum creatinine
level
-
Blood urea nitrogen (
BUN
)
CKD changes the results of several other tests. You may need to have the following blood tests as often as every 2 to 3 months when kidney disease gets worse:
-
Albumin
-
Calcium
-
Cholesterol
-
Complete blood count
(CBC)
-
Electrolytes
(includes
sodium
and
potassium
)
-
Magnesium
-
Phosphorous
Other tests that may be done to look for the cause or type of kidney disease include:
-
CT scan of the abdomen
-
MRI of the abdomen
-
Ultrasound of the abdomen
-
Kidney biopsy
-
Kidney scan
- Kidney ultrasound
-
Urine protein
This disease may also change the results of the following tests:
-
Erythropoietin
-
Parathyroid hormone (
PTH
)
-
Bone density test
-
Vitamin D
level
📖 How Is It Treated?
How Is It Treated?
Blood pressure control
will slow further kidney damage.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are used most often.
- The goal is to keep blood pressure at or below 130/80 mm Hg. Your provider can tell you what your blood pressure target is.
Making lifestyle changes can help protect the kidneys, and prevent
heart disease
and
stroke
, such as:
- Do not smoke.
- Eat meals that are low in fat and cholesterol.
- Get regular exercise (talk to your provider or nurse before starting to exercise).
-
Take medicines to
lower your cholesterol
, if needed.
-
Keep your
blood sugar
under control.
-
Avoid eating too much
salt
or potassium.
Always talk to your provider before taking any over-the-counter medicine. This includes
vitamins
, herbs and supplements. Make sure all of the providers you visit know you have CKD. Other treatments may include:
- Medicines called phosphate binders, to help prevent high phosphorous levels
-
Extra iron in the diet, iron pills, iron given through a vein (intravenous iron) special shots of a medicine called erythropoietin, and blood transfusions to treat
anemia
- Extra calcium and vitamin D (always talk to your provider before taking)
Your provider may have you follow a special
diet for CKD
.
- Limiting fluids
- Eating less protein
- Restricting phosphorous and other electrolytes
- Getting enough calories to prevent weight loss
All people with CKD should be up-to-date on the following vaccinations:
-
Hepatitis A vaccine
-
Hepatitis B vaccine
-
Flu vaccine
-
Pneumococcal vaccine
(also called pneumonia vaccine)
-
COVID-19
vaccine
📖 What Are Support Groups?
📖 What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
Many people are not diagnosed with CKD until they have lost most of their kidney function.
There is no cure for CKD. Whether it worsens to ESRD, and how quickly, depends on:
- The cause of kidney damage
- How well you take care of yourself
Kidney failure is the last stage of CKD. This is when your kidneys can no longer support our body’s needs.
Your provider will discuss
dialysis
with you before you need it. Dialysis removes waste from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do their job.
In most cases, you will go to dialysis when you have only 10 to 15% of your kidney function left.
Even people who are waiting for a kidney transplant may need dialysis while waiting.
📖 What Are Possible Complications?
What Are Possible Complications?
Complications of CKD may include:
-
Anemia
- Bleeding from the stomach or intestines
- Bone, joint, and muscle pain
- Changes in blood sugar
-
Damage to nerves of the legs and arms (
peripheral neuropathy
)
-
Dementia
-
Fluid buildup around the lungs (
pleural effusion
)
- Heart and blood vessel complications
- High blood phosphorous levels
-
High blood potassium levels
-
Hyperparathyroidism
- Increased risk of infections
- Liver damage or failure
-
Malnutrition
-
Miscarriages
and
infertility
-
Seizures
-
Swelling (
edema
)
- Weakening of the bones and increased risk of fractures
📖 How Is It Prevented?
How Is It Prevented?
Treating the condition that is causing the problem may help prevent or delay CKD. People who have diabetes should control their blood sugar and blood pressure levels and should not smoke.
Kidney failure – chronic; Renal failure – chronic; Chronic renal insufficiency; Chronic kidney failure; Chronic renal failure
-
Kidney anatomy
-
Kidney – blood and urine flow
-
Glomerulus and nephron
Christov M, Sprague SM. Chronic kidney disease – mineral bone disorder. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds.
Brenner and Rector’s The Kidney
. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 53.
Grams ME, McDonald SP. Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease and dialysis. In: Johnson RJ, Floege J, Tonelli M, eds.
Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology
. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 80.
Levey AS, Sarnak MJ. Chronic kidney disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds.
Goldman-Cecil Medicine
. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 116.
Taal MW. Classification and management of chronic kidney disease. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds.
Brenner and Rector’s The Kidney
. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 59.
Updated by: Walead Latif, MD, Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
-
Chronic Kidney Disease
Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
Appetite loss
General ill feeling
and
fatigue
Headaches
Itching (
pruritus)
and dry skin
Nausea
Weight loss
without trying to lose weight
Symptoms that may occur when kidney function has gotten worse include:
Abnormally dark or light skin
Bone pain
Drowsiness
or problems concentrating or thinking
Numbness
in the hands and feet
Muscle twitching
or cramps
Breath odor
Easy
bruising
, or blood in the stool
Excessive thirst
Frequent
hiccups
Problems with sexual function
Menstrual periods stop (
amenorrhea
)
Shortness of breath
Sleep problems
Swelling in the hands and feet
Vomiting
📖 What Are Exams and Tests?
What Are Exams and Tests?
How Is It Treated?
will slow further kidney damage. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are used most often. The goal is to keep blood pressure at or below 130/80 mm Hg.
About the Author: This article was researched and written by the SilverWell Hub editorial team. It was medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Mitchell, MD, Geriatrics.
Sources: This article is adapted from MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. See our full Medical Disclaimer.
Published: July 19, 2026 | Next review: January 2027
