Archive · 6 Sep 2026
New Guidelines Urge Kidney Tests for People With Heart Disease
New health guidelines say people with heart disease should also have their kidneys checked.
Heart and kidney problems can be connected.
Doctors can use a blood test called eGFR to estimate how well the kidneys filter blood.
This test uses the amount of creatinine in the blood.
Doctors can also use a urine test called UACR.
UACR looks for albumin, a protein that may leak into urine when kidneys are damaged.
Using both tests may help identify kidney problems.
The article does not provide details about where or when the guidelines were issued.
New recommendations urge screening people with cardiovascular disease for chronic kidney disease.
Screening should use both blood and urine tests.
The estimated glomerular filtration rate is calculated from blood creatinine levels.
The eGFR estimates how well the kidneys filter blood.
The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio checks for albumin, which can indicate kidney damage.
- Who
- People with cardiovascular disease.
- What
- New guidelines recommend screening them for chronic kidney disease using blood and urine tests.
- Why
- To check kidney function and detect signs of kidney damage.
- Recommended screening
- Chronic kidney disease screening for people with cardiovascular disease
- Blood test
- Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
- eGFR basis
- Calculated using blood creatinine levels
- eGFR purpose
- Estimates how well the kidneys filter blood
- Urine test
- Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)
- UACR purpose
- Checks for albumin in urine
- Possible warning sign
- Albumin can leak into urine when the kidneys are damaged