Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) happens when the kidneys are damaged and do not heal. This affects how the kidneys remove wastes and water. Some causes of CKD are diabetes, vascular (blood vessel) disease and inflammation of the kidneys.

In addition to affecting your kidneys, CKD can also affect other parts of your body, such as your lungs and heart. CKD has five stages but, with treatment and life-style changes, it may be possible to slow down or stop CKD from progressing from one stage to the next.