Kidney Disease Causes and Risk Factors

Dr. Rex Mahnensmith stands out as the former clinical director of nephrology and medical director of dialysis for Yale Medical Group, which he served for more than 20 years. Now an internal medicine physician at the StayWell Health Center in Connecticut, Dr. Rex Mahnensmith brings an in-depth knowledge of kidney disease and its risks.

Approximately 33 percent of adults in the United States have an elevated risk of kidney disease. Patients with this condition experience a gradual decrease in the kidney's ability to filter excess fluid and waste products from the blood. As kidney function becomes severely impaired, the level of waste, fluid, and electrolytes can build up in the body to dangerous levels.

This condition typically develops in response to other conditions. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common root causes, but recurring kidney infections can also cause the kidneys to fail. Other causes include extended obstruction of the urinary tract, inflammation of the kidney's internal structures, and the presence of polycystic kidney disease.

Patients who have a family history of kidney disease are at higher risk of developing kidney disease. The condition is also more common in individuals of Hispanic, African-American, Asian, and Native American heritage.