Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What are the main causes of chronic kidney disease?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
renal system disease
Organs of the renal system.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by the progressive loss of the kidneysβ ability to filter waste and fluids from the blood, typically resulting from long-term damage to the nephrons.1
The primary causes of chronic kidney disease are:
- Diabetes: A leading cause that can lead to diabetic nephropathy, where high blood sugar levels damage the kidney's filtering units.213
- Hypertension: Chronic high blood pressure causes progressive injury to the small arteries and glomeruli within the kidneys.21
Other significant causes and contributing factors include:
- Inflammatory and Autoimmune Disorders: Conditions such as glomerulonephritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.21
- Inherited Disorders: Including polycystic kidney disease and Fabry disease.14
- Infections: Recurrent urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis.251
- Other Factors: Long-term exposure to certain medications, previous kidney injury, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol consumption.21