Risk Factors for End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

Risk factors for ESRD include the following:

• Age—Risk of ESRD increases with age
• Gender—Men are more likely than women to develop ESRD
• Race—African-Americans have higher rates of ESRD than people of other races
• Education—People with lower educational attainment have a higher risk of developing ESRD
• Weight—Overweight individuals, with higher body mass indices, have a higher risk of ESRD
• Proteinuria—History of protein in the urine is a risk factor for ESRD
• Low hemoglobin —Individuals with a history of low hemoglobin have a higher risk of ESRD
• Nocturia—Individuals who frequently have to get up at night to urinate have a greater chance of ESRD
• Hyperuricemia—Higher blood uric acid levels increase risk of ESRD
• Genetics—Genetic factors have been identified, which either increase the risk of developing chronic renal failure or hasten the progression of this disease.
• Smoking—Smoking has been linked to the progression of renal disease among diabetic and hypertensive patients.
• ]]>Hyperlipidemia]]>—Various lipid disorders are associated with the development of and progression to chronic renal failure.
• Recreational drugs—Opiates and cocaine have been linked to an increased risk for end-stage renal disease.
• ]]>Diabetes]]>—Diabetes is the biggest risk factor for developing ESRD; one-third of the people who develop ESRD have diabetes.
• ]]>Hypertensenion (high blood pressure)]]>—Hypertension is the second most common cause of renal failure.
• ]]>Glomerulonephritis]]>—This disease damages the glomeruli, which are the filtering units in the kidney. It is the third leading cause of renal failure.
• Drug use—Overuse of over-the-counter pain medication or abuse of illegal drugs increases your risk of ESRD.
• Other diseases—These conditions also affect kidney functioning:
  • ]]>Kidney stones]]>
  • ]]>Polycystic kidney disease]]> (cysts in the kidney)
  • ]]>Systemic lupus erythematosis]]>
  • Congenital nephrotic syndrome
  • ]]>Atherosclerosis]]>