Policy & Public Affairs
Press Release
Friday, November 9, 2007
Chronic Kidney Disease Rises While Most People with the Condition Remain Unaware
The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in America is growing, reports a study published in the November 7, 2007 Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, estimates that 26 million people – or 13 percent of the U.S. population – now have CKD; a rise of 3 percent over previous estimates. The increase is partly explained by the increasing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, the main causes of CKD, and raises concerns about future increased incidence of kidney failure and other complications of CKD, such as cardiovascular disease. To learn more about the study, visit http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov2007/niddk-09.htm.