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Medical Author:

Pranay Kathuria, MD, FACP, FASN

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Chronic Kidney Disease Causes

Although chronic kidney disease sometimes results from primary diseases of the kidneys themselves, the major causes are diabetes and high blood pressure.

• Type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus cause a condition called diabetic nephropathy, which is the leading cause of kidney disease in the United States.
  
  
• High blood pressure (hypertension), if not controlled, can damage the kidneys over time.
  
  
• Glomerulonephritis is the inflammation and damage of the filtration system of the kidneys, which can cause kidney failure. Postinfectious conditions and lupus are among the many causes of glomerulonephritis.
  
  
• Polycystic kidney disease is an example of a hereditary cause of chronic kidney disease wherein both kidneys have multiple cysts.
  
  
• Use of analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) regularly over long durations of time can cause analgesic nephropathy, another cause of kidney disease. Certain other medications can also damage the kidneys.
  
  
• Clogging and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) leading to the kidneys causes a condition called ischemic nephropathy, which is another cause of progressive kidney damage.
  
  
• Obstruction of the flow of urine by stones, an enlarged prostate, strictures (narrowings), or cancers may also cause kidney disease.
  
  
• Other causes of chronic kidney disease include HIV infection, sickle cell disease, heroin abuse, amyloidosis, kidney stones, chronic kidney infections, and certain cancers.

If you have any of the following conditions, you are at higher-than-normal risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Your kidney functions may need to be monitored regularly.

• Diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2
  
  
• High blood pressure
  
  
• High cholesterol
  
  
• Heart disease
  
  
• Liver disease
  
  
• Amyloidosis
  
  
• Sickle cell disease
  
  
• Systemic Lupus erythematosus
  
  
• Vascular diseases such as arteritis, vasculitis, or fibromuscular dysplasia
  
  
• Vesicoureteral reflux (a urinary tract problem in which urine travels the wrong way back toward the kidney)
  
  
• Require regular use of anti-inflammatory medications
  
  
• A family history of kidney disease