Family history and kidney disease

Both diabetes and high blood pressure run in families. You may be at risk for these diseases if a close relative (parent, grandparent or sibling) has been diagnosed with one or both of them. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of kidney disease. 

Kidney disease also runs in families. You may be more likely to get kidney disease if you have a close relative with kidney disease.

How to talk to your loved ones about your family health history 

Learning more about your family health history is an important step to finding the cause of your kidney disease and protecting your health.   

Why do I need to know about my family health history? 

Your family health history includes the health of you and your immediate family members. You share many of the same genes with them that can give you a higher chance of certain health problems. Genes contain your DNA and tell your cells what to do.

Your family health history can give your doctor clues about what might be causing your kidney disease and which tests might be right for you.  

Who should I include in the conversation? 

Start with your nearest biological relatives, who are people related to you by blood. This may include your: 

• Parents 
• Siblings 
• Children 
• Grandparents 
• Aunts and uncles 
• Nieces and nephews 

Other family who are not related to you by blood, such as step-parents or step-siblings, do not need to be included unless they know specifically about a biological family member's health. 

How can I start the conversation? 

Some family members may find it hard to talk about their health, especially about sensitive topics. Prepare ahead of time to help everyone feel more comfortable: 

• Let your family members know in advance what you want to talk about. Surprising people may make them less likely to share their personal health information. 
• Ask if they prefer to talk one-on-one or if they are comfortable talking as a group.  
• Choose a private and quiet setting, such as someone's home. A crowded restaurant may not be the best place for people to share personal health information. 
• Tell them why you want to talk about their health history. Tell them that knowing their history could: 
  • Help you find the cause of your kidney disease 
  • Help you manage your symptoms 
  • Help other family members make informed health decisions in the future based on what you all learn about your family health history 

Which questions should I ask? 

Use these questions to get the right information about your family health history. You can write questions and answers down in a notebook or on your phone.  

Questions about your family health history: 

• From what countries did our ancestors come to the United States? Some health conditions are more common among people from certain geographic areas.
• What is our ethnicity? Some health conditions are more common among certain ethnicities.
• How old was my [relative who passed away] when they died, and what did they die from? 
• Did any of our family members have kidney disease or need dialysis (a machine that cleans your blood)? 
• Did any of our family members have other long-term health problems that are related to kidney disease, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure? 
• Is there a history of pregnancy loss or birth defects in our family? Some birth defects and reasons for pregnancy loss are genetic. 

Questions about each individual family member's health:  

• Do you have kidney disease? 
• Do you have any other long-term health problems that are related to kidney disease, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure? 
• Have you had any other serious health problems, such as cancer or a stroke? Some serious health problems are genetic. 
• How old were you when these health problems were diagnosed? 
• Have you ever had genetic testing or been diagnosed with a genetic disease? A genetic disease is passed down from one or both parents to their child through genes.
• Do you have any allergies? Some allergies may be genetic.
• Do you smoke or drink alcohol? If yes, how much? Some habits may be the cause of a health condition or raise the chance of other family member's habits.

Bring your notes from these conversations to your next doctor's visit and go over them with your doctor.