What causes chronic kidney disease?

The most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the United States is diabetic kidney disease, called diabetic nephropathy. The second most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the United States is hypertension-related renal disease, referred to as hypertensive nephrosclerosis. These are secondary causes of chronic kidney disease where a particular disease is damaging the kidneys. Diabetes and hypertension are the most well-known causes of chronic kidney disease, but there are many others.

Primary causes of chronic kidney disease are diseases that solely affect the kidneys. For example, chronic glomerulonephritis such as IgA nephropathy is the most common form of primary chronic kidney disease in the world. Chronic glomerulonephritis causes inflammation that attacks the kidneys. There are numerous examples of primary causes of chronic kidney disease.