A. First, let's talk about what are the causes and risk factors of kidney disease.
When the kidneys become damaged, waste products and fluids can build up in your body. This can cause swelling in your extremities, vomiting, weakness, shortness of breath, and may cause sleep disturbances. If left untreated, diseased kidneys may eventually stop working completely. Loss of kidney function is a serious and potentially fatal condition.
Chronic Kidney Disease and Causes
Kidney damage - or reduced kidney function that lasts longer than three months - is referred to as chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is particularly dangerous because there are often no apparent symptoms until after considerable (and often irreparable) renal damage has occurred. Common causes of CKD include high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, frequent urinary tract infections, exposure to drugs and toxins, and family history of chronic renal disease.
Renal problems are common and associated with increased mortality risk. As a result, insurance underwriting will screen applicants for renal function through a series of kidney function tests (KFT’s) done within the insurance exam. There are two common blood tests performed, both of which are closely reviewed. First, the eGFR (glomerular filtration rate). This measures how well the kidney filters and removes undesirable substances from your blood. These substances include creatinine (a waste product resulting from normal wear and tear on your muscles) and BUN (blood urea nitrogen, resulting from the breakdown of proteins in the food you eat). Several urine (HOS) tests are monitored as well, including urine protein, microalbuminuria, and urine creatinine or creatinine clearance.
In next blogpost, we will discuss life insurance underwriting for kidney disease.