Diabetes is one of the biggest factors that increases your risk for kidney disease and its the number one cause of kidney failure. A healthy diet, being active and medicine can help manage diabetes and prevent health problems like kidney damage

High blood pressure is one of the biggest factors that increases your risk for kidney disease and it is the #2 cause of kidney failure. Keeping your blood pressure under control can help prevent kidney disease, or help keep it from getting worse

African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asian Americans are more likely to have kidney disease. Doctors and researchers are not exactly sure why, but it may be because diabetes and high blood pressure are more common in these groups

Being over age 60 increases your risk for kidney disease. As you get older, your kidneys naturally do not work as well as when you were younger. People age 60 or older are also more likely to have diabetes and high blood pressure, the two leading causes of kidney failure. If you are over age 60, ask your doctor how often you should be tested for signs of kidney disease.

Knowing your family health history is an important step in knowing your risk for kidney disease. You are more likely to get kidney disease if someone else in your family has it. 

• Polycystic kidney disease: a genetic disease that causes many cysts to grow in the kidneys
• Glomerulonephritis: a disease that causes irritation to the tiny blood vessels (glomeruli) in your kidneys
• Acute kidney injury: kidney failure that happens very quickly, often because of injuries, major blood loss or reactions to medicines
• Autoimmune diseases (such as lupus and IgA nephropathy): diseases that cause your immune system to attack your body
• Kidney cancer: cancer that grows inside your kidneys