After a review of current evidence, NICE has updated its guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Amid concerns that CKD has been over-diagnosed in the past, the guidance calls for testing for CKD by checking chemical markers in the blood. This ensures patients benefit from uniformity in treatment and aims to reduce the number of diagnoses.
The guidelines also recommend patients are provided with information about exercise, diet and lowering blood pressure, so they can manage their own condition.
CKD is a long-term condition that limits the efficiency of the kidneys. It affects up to 1 in 10 people and often exists alongside other conditions (such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes).
Professor Mark Baker, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE, said: “Chronic kidney disease can go undetected, potentially leading to serious health problems. Late presentation of people with kidney failure increases sickness and death and costs the NHS more. Chronic kidney disease costs the NHS in England between £1.44 and £1.45 billion every year. These recommendations will enable doctors to make the correct diagnosis of CKD, and make sure that the right people get the right treatment for their condition.”
