Everyday health Note · 5 min read

Kidney disease is silent. Two simple tests catch it early

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the commonest causes, and there are usually no symptoms until late. What eGFR and urine albumin tell you

The Pushpa team · 6 sources

Pushpa notes25

eGFR, five yearsDrifting

Urine albumin testPainkillers: ask first

Quiet kidneys

Kidneys rarely complain. The US National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says most people in the early stages of chronic kidney disease have no symptoms, and many have none until it is advanced. MedlinePlus is just as blunt: blood and urine tests are the only way to know. For a parent with diabetes or high blood pressure, the two most common causes, that makes the yearly test the whole story

13.24%

of Indian adults have chronic kidney disease, rising from 11.1% (2011–17) to 16.4% (2018–23) (Talukdar et al., Nephrology 2025)

The two tests

eGFR, from a blood test, estimates how well the kidneys filter. 60 or more is in the normal range; below 60 may mean kidney disease; 15 or less is kidney failure
Urine albumin, often reported as UACR. 30 mg/g or less is normal; more than 30 may be a sign of kidney damage. A raised result is usually repeated once or twice to confirm
Look at both, and at the trend. A slow fall in eGFR over a few reports matters more than one number

How often

NIDDK advises people with diabetes to have their kidneys checked every year: everyone with type 2 diabetes, and anyone who has had type 1 for more than five years. The NHS notes kidney disease is common with age, and that people at higher risk may be advised to have regular tests

Be careful with painkillers

Common painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen are NSAIDs. NIDDK warns they can damage the kidneys and cause acute kidney injury, especially in people with kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. For a parent with a sore knee, that's worth knowing before buying a strip over the counter. Ask her doctor or pharmacist which painkiller is safe for her

How Pushpa helpsPushpa reads each kidney result from her lab reports and lines it up with the last ones, so a slow drift in eGFR shows up early. If a yearly test is due, the family is reminded

This is general information, not medical advice. Her doctor decides what her results mean