If someone in your family has had an acute or chronic kidney disease, you may wonder if the condition is hereditary. The answer will depend on the specific diagnosis of kidney disease. While some ailments aren’t likely to be inherited genetically, others may be. That’s why it’s important to seek kidney disease treatment from a thorough specialist. If your family history is relevant, they’ll keep it in mind when developing your treatment plan.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one example of a chronic kidney disease that can be hereditary. Patients with this condition suffer from cysts that grow in the kidneys, eventually limiting their function and potentially resulting in kidney failure.

In some instances, doctors may identify inherited PKD before a child is even born. Early in life, children with this chronic kidney disease tend to vomit frequently, experience pain in their backs or sides, or grow at an abnormally slow rate. 

That said, there are also instances in which the signs of these conditions don’t arrive for years. The first symptom a doctor may notice could be unusually high blood pressure in a child. However, there are patients with PKD who don’t experience any noticeable symptoms until adulthood.

Although PKD is among the most common hereditary kidney diseases, doctors have found that a wide range of conditions may be genetically inherited. Some families seem more prone to inherited kidney disease than others. That’s why, if you have a family history of chronic kidney disease, it’s important to contact a specialist to learn more about your risk factors. By identifying the condition and beginning kidney disease treatment early, your treatment is much more likely to be effective.

To learn more, schedule an appointment at Mt Auburn Nephrology, treating patients in the Cincinnati, OH, area. They’ll assess all your risk factors, helping you get a better sense of whether you should be concerned about inheriting a kidney disorder. Contact them online or call (513) 841-0222 for more information.