 Hi, I am Dr. Mayur Prabhu. I am a consultant nephrologist in the Department of Nephrology at KMC Hospital's Mangalore. Today, I will be giving you a brief overview of chronic kidney disease. Now, the kidneys are a pair of organs about the size of a human face and they are located in the abdomen. These two organs conduct very important functions in maintaining normal function and normal homeostasis in the body. Now, the kidneys functions including include purifying of the blood and apart from that, they also play an important role in maintaining the acid, base and electrolyte balance in the body. So, when the kidneys start to develop dysfunction or when the kidney function starts to form, then there are abnormalities seen in blood pressure, in purification of the blood, in maintenance of the normal acid, base and electrolyte balance in the body and so many other adverse effects are seen gradually. Now, chronic kidney disease means the term chronic means some disorder, some disease which has been there for a significant period of time and for the purpose of defining chronic kidney disease, this time period is taken as three months. So, any disorder of the kidney which has lasted for three months or more is defined as chronic kidney disease. The most important cause of chronic kidney disease is diabetes, hypertension or high blood pressure and so many other disorders like familial disorders of the kidney, polycystic kidney disease, connective tissue disorders and so many other disorders of the kidney account for the remaining causes of CKD. So, up to 50% of the times it is diabetes and hypertension or high blood pressure which leads to chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease passes through five different stages and it is at stage 5 towards the end of the spectrum of CKD where the treatments like dialysis and kidney transplantation are required. So, it is important to keep in mind that kidney disease passes through slowly to five stages before this treatment is required treatment like dialysis and transplant. So, where it is detected early in such cases we can give appropriate treatment and retard the progression of chronic kidney disease. So, it is important to keep these things in mind. Those who are diabetic or hypertensive need to get evaluated for kidney disease. Certain blood tests are there like blood urea and serum creatinine which actually reflect the GFR or glomerular filtration rate and thereby reflect the kidney function. So, it is important to undergo periodic testing when you are diabetic or hypertensive or if you have a family history of kidney disease or you suspect that you have kidney disease it is important to undergo this evaluation. Many times chronic kidney disease is missed in the early stages and it is only detected when it is advanced. So, it is important to keep these points in mind. Coming to the treatment of CKD as in most areas of medicine it is important to remember that prevention is better than cure and so early detection of CKD can lead to better outcomes, better and earlier treatment and thereby less of morbidity in CKD. So, it is important to undergo periodic testing especially those who are at risk of kidney disease. To see your doctor in case you suspect that you have kidney disease or in case you feel that there is a likelihood of kidney disease developing later it is important to see your doctor to undergo evaluation for this. Certain simple blood tests can be done which can both detect and also help in staging of the kidney disease which will help your doctor to plan your treatment. It is very important to remember not to cause additional harm to your kidneys by consumption of over the counter medications, painkillers and other medications without medical advice. Do not take any it is better always better not to take any medication without consulting a properly qualified doctor. See your nephrologist in case you feel that you have CKD and especially if it is advanced so that treatment can be planned earlier and morbidities and morbidities can be detected at a earlier stage thereby helping in successful treatment. Once CKD lands up in end stage renal disease or CKD stage 5 then your nephrologist will help you plan for treatments like dialysis and kidney transplantation. So, it is important to remember that dialysis or kidney transplantation is not something terminal and patients can live a very productive life and a long life even on dialysis and on transplantation. So, do not have any sort of stigma in your mind about these particular treatments. The carry home message I would like to give is that kidney disease is detectable at an early stage. It can be successfully treated and in most cases it is important to remember that when it is detected earlier then your outcomes are likely to be better. Prevention is better than cure. So, keep that in mind and take care of your general health, take care of your kidneys. Certain simple lifestyle changes can also help like avoid smoking, limit your alcohol intake, limit the salt intake and undergo periodic testing.