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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

To reduce your risk of chronic kidney failure:

  • Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means no more than one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and no more than two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.
  • Follow instructions on over-the-counter medications. When using nonprescription pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), follow the instructions on the packaging. Taking too many pain relievers could lead to kidney damage. If you have a history of kidney problems, ask your doctor whether these drugs are safe for you.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. If you're at a healthy weight, work to maintain it by being physically active most days of the week. If you need to lose weight, talk to your doctor about strategies for healthy weight loss. Often this involves increasing daily physical activity and decreasing calories.
  • Don't smoke. If you're a smoker, talk to your doctor about strategies for quitting smoking. Support groups, counseling and medications can all help you to stop.
  • Manage your medical conditions with your doctor's help. If you have diseases or conditions that increase your risk of kidney failure, work with your doctor to control them. Ask your doctor about tests to look for signs of kidney damage.
Coping and support
References
  1. Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed April 2, 2012.
  2. Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2012: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05611-3..C2009-0-38601-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05611-3&uniqId=291436269-101. Accessed April 2, 2012.
  3. Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..X0001-1--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed April 2, 2012.
  4. Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed April 3, 2012.
  5. About chronic kidney disease: A guide for patients and their families. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/aboutckd.cfm. Accessed April 3, 2012.
  6. Coping effectively: A guide to living well with kidney failure. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/coping.pdf. Accessed April 3, 2012.
  7. Kidney failure: Choosing a treatment that's right for you. National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/choosingtreatment/index.aspx. Accessed April 2, 2012.
  8. Chronic kidney disease stage 5: Nutrition guidelines. Nutrition Care Manual. American Dietetic Association. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed April 3, 2012.
  9. The kidneys and how they work. National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/. Accessed April 4, 2012.
  10. El-Zoghby ZM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 1, 2012.
  11. Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 24, 2012.
  12. Rethinking drinking: Alcohol and your health. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/RethinkingDrinking/Rethinking_Drinking.pdf. Accessed May 8, 2012.
  13. Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed May 8, 2012.
  14. Post R (expert opinion). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, Va. Aug. 8, 2011.
DS00682 May 16, 2012

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