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Take the Cardiovascular Risk Quiz

Let's get real about the kidney connection

Did you know? Millions of adults living with type 2 diabetes have kidney disease, yet nearly 90% of adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are unaware of their kidney disease.

That's alarming. But wait, what exactly is CKD and why does my type 2 diabetes increase my risk of CKD? Good questions.

CKD means your kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood the way they should.

Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease

Common causes of CKD in adults living with type 2 diabetes may include high blood pressure, family history of kidney failure, heart disease, or being overweight or obese.

If not managed over time, high blood sugar can cause harm to your heart and kidneys. The longer a person has type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, the more likely they are to have kidney damage.

Yikes! This is serious stuff.

Some Common Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease

Here's what to look out for:

1. Urination changes

When there's too much sugar in the blood, the kidneys work harder to filter it out, which pulls water into the urine. You might urinate more often, experience a sudden urge to urinate or your urine might be foamy or bubbly, which is a sign of protein in the urine and happens when kidneys are damaged.

2. Swelling

You might experience swelling in your hands, feet, or ankles. This happens when the kidneys can't remove excess fluid and salt from your body.

3. Shortness of breath

Extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs, making it hard to breath. It might feel like you're unable to breathe normally or deeply enough.

4. General symptoms

As CKD progresses, you might experience vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, dry or itchy skin, trouble sleeping, or trouble concentrating.

It's not always easy to tell whether you have CKD–it takes time to develop–and there might only be a few signs or symptoms in the early stages. That's why it's so important to know your risk and get screened by your healthcare professional. Regularly.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Key Terms

Creatinine: Healthcare professionals will often look at creatinine levels in the blood to test for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Creatinine refers to a waste product in the body that comes from the breakdown of muscle tissue and protein in food. It's filtered from the blood by the kidneys and excreted in urine.

Dialysis: If you're living with CKD, dialysis is usually something that is started when your kidneys are only functioning at 10%-15% of their overall capacity. Dialysis is a type of treatment that helps your body remove extra fluid and waste products from your blood when the kidneys are not able to.

Estimated glomerular filtration Rate (eGFR): This is a calculation used to estimate how well the kidneys are filtering. It's another way to measure kidney function and is used to diagnose and monitor CKD.

Urine albumin: This is a key marker of CKD that can be measured using a spot urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio.

The numbers show that 
40% of people with type 2 diabetes have CKD. Kidney disease impacts communities differently; minorities are at higher risk due to diabetes and high blood pressure.

Black Americans are more than 3x as likely as White Americans to have kidney failure, and 6x more likely than White Americans to get kidney failure from their high blood pressure. Hispanic or Latinos are 1.3x more likely than White Americans to have kidney failure.

You see that it's all connected—with type 2 diabetes, the risk of CKD is real.

But there is good news: there are ways to lower your risk. Talk to your healthcare professional about ways to lower your risk of CKD.

How to Reduce the Risk of chronic Kidney Disease Progression

It's important to talk to your healthcare professional about ways to:

  • Lower your A1C, blood pressure, and other risks associated with type 2 diabetes and CKD
  • Get tested regularly to diagnose CKD if it does develop
  • Help reduce the progression of further kidney damage from CKD
  • Understand genetic factors
  • Develop a treatment plan to help manage your type
  • Develop a treatment plan to help manage your type 2 diabetes and CKD

Get real now. Tell yourself: "I know my risks and I'm going to get support."

Call your healthcare professional to learn what tests to ask for, actionable steps, how to help lower your risk of CKD, and manage your health.

If nothing else, hear us when we say:

you got this.

Make yourself a diabetes care plan

Be sure to regularly talk to your diabetes care team. They're your secret weapon.

Make a care plan

How Anthony got real about diabetes

Here's how Anthony got real about eating healthy, being active, and listening to his doctor.

Check out his story

Anthony Anderson is a paid spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, Inc.
NovoCare® is a registered trademark and Get Real About Diabetes™ is a trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.
Novo Nordisk is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.

© 2024 Novo Nordisk    All rights reserved.    US524NNM00143    December 2024

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Have you been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?

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Having type 2 diabetes means an up to 4 times greater risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death compared to people without diabetes.

Why? Because if it’s not managed over time, complications from high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves that control your heart. And people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to have other conditions that raise their risk, too.

Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your cardiovascular risk.

Having type 2 diabetes means an up to 4 times greater risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death compared to people without diabetes.

But cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in the US, even for those without diabetes. There’s never a bad time to talk to your doctor about ways to manage your cardiovascular risk.

Have you had a cardiovascular event in the past—for instance, a heart attack or a stroke?

Correct!

Sorry, that's incorrect.

The unfortunate fact is that once someone has had a heart attack or stroke, they’re at increased risk for another cardiovascular event. That applies to people with and without type 2 diabetes.

But there are ways you can help lower your risk of having another event or keep it from getting worse. Talk to your doctor about understanding your cardiovascular risk and ways to manage it.

I bet this will make you want to keep it that way: Once someone has had a heart attack or stroke, they’re at increased risk for another cardiovascular event. That applies to people with and without type 2 diabetes. 

Talk to your doctor about understanding your cardiovascular risk and ways to manage it.

Do you have high blood pressure?

Correct!

Sorry, that's incorrect.

High blood pressure is a big risk factor for cardiovascular disease and events, such as heart attack, stroke, or even cardiovascular death. 

If you aren’t already taking steps to keep your blood pressure under control, now’s a great time to start. 

Talk to your doctor about understanding your cardiovascular risk and ways to manage it.

Hey, you’re nailing it!

High blood pressure is a big risk factor for cardiovascular disease and events, such as heart attack, stroke, or even cardiovascular death. So keep doing what you’re doing to maintain your blood pressure. And keep your doctor in the loop, too.

High blood pressure is a big risk factor for cardiovascular disease and events, such as heart attack, stroke, or even cardiovascular death. 

So if you don’t know your blood pressure, talk to your doctor about your numbers. Knowing where you stand is the first step toward taking action.

Do you have high cholesterol?

Correct!

Sorry, that's incorrect.

High cholesterol is a strong cardiovascular risk factor. 

And there’s more than one kind of cholesterol, too. Talk to your doctor about “good” and “bad” cholesterol, and what you can do to keep it under control.

That’s good to hear, because high cholesterol is a strong cardiovascular risk factor.

And there’s “good” and “bad” cholesterol, too. If yours is under control, talk to your doctor about what you can do to keep it there.

High cholesterol is a strong cardiovascular risk factor. And there’s “good” and “bad” cholesterol, too.

That’s why it’s so important to know your numbers. You can start by scheduling a screening with your health care provider.

Has your doctor ever told you that you may be overweight?

Correct!

Sorry, that's incorrect.

Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of managing your cardiovascular risk. Your doctor can help you understand what that means and set some goals for you to stay on track.

Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of managing your cardiovascular risk. Whether you’re on the right track or not, it can’t hurt to check in about weight next time you see your doctor, right?

Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of managing your cardiovascular risk. So if you’re not sure about your own weight, your doctor can help you understand what that means and set some goals for you to stay on track.

Are you a smoker?

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Smoking cigarettes means increased cardiovascular risk. 

Remember, if you have type 2 diabetes, your risk for events like heart attack or stroke is already up to 4 times greater than someone without type 2 diabetes.

Why pile risk on risk? NOW is a great time to talk to your doctor about quitting.

Now, that’s the best thing you could’ve said.

Remember, if you have type 2 diabetes, your risk for events like heart attack or stroke is already up to 4 times greater than someone without type 2 diabetes. And smoking cigarettes also increases a person’s cardiovascular risk. 

Why pile risk on risk, am I right?

That’s a great answer. Your cardiovascular risk starts decreasing soon after you quit—and for many people, it keeps decreasing over time.

Sounds like a win to me.

Are you a member of an ethnic or minority group such as Black, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander?

Correct!

Sorry, that's incorrect.

According to the American Heart Association, Black Americans have higher rates of type 2 diabetes and may develop cardiovascular disease at an earlier age than other racial groups.

And some racial groups are more likely than others to experience risk factors for heart disease, like high blood pressure.

Talk to your doctor about what you can do to manage your cardiovascular risk.

Minority populations living with type 2 diabetes have an even higher risk of cardiovascular disease than other populations.

But nobody’s off the hook. Everyone living with type 2 diabetes has an increased risk. 

Talk to your doctor about what you can do to manage your cardiovascular risk.

How old are you?

Correct!

Sorry, that's incorrect.

Even basic factors like age can affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

In men, risk for heart disease starts increasing around age 45. For women, risk goes up around 55. 

And people 65+ are more likely than younger people to develop heart disease. 

You know what I’m going to say: Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your risk as you age. 

Even basic factors like age can affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

In men, risk for heart disease starts increasing around age 45. For women, risk goes up around 55. 

And people 65+ are more likely than younger people to develop heart disease. 

You know what I’m going to say: Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your risk as you age. 

Even basic factors like age can affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

In men, risk for heart disease starts increasing around age 45. For women, risk goes up around 55. 

And people 65+ are more likely than younger people to develop heart disease. 

You know what I’m going to say: Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your risk as you age. 

Even basic factors like age can affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

In men, risk for heart disease starts increasing around age 45. For women, risk goes up around 55. 

And people 65+ are more likely than younger people to develop heart disease. 

You know what I’m going to say: Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your risk as you age. 

Even basic factors like age can affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

In men, risk for heart disease starts increasing around age 45. For women, risk goes up around 55. 

And people 65+ are more likely than younger people to develop heart disease. 

You know what I’m going to say: Talk to your doctor about ways to manage your risk as you age. 

Congrats on taking the first step!

If you have type 2 diabetes, the thing to remember is that the more of these risk factors you have, the higher your cardiovascular risk may be. And the next step is talking to your doctor about what you can do.

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