US Medical Term · conditions
Chronic Kidney Disease
Enfermedad renal crónica
What it means
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means that the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as they should. The kidneys' main job is to filter the blood: they remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. The damage can cause wastes to build up in the body, and it occurs slowly over many years. MedlinePlus states that diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD, that many people do not have any symptoms until their kidney disease is very advanced, and that blood and urine tests are the only way to know if you have kidney disease. CKD may get worse over time and can sometimes lead to kidney failure; if the kidneys fail, dialysis or a kidney transplantation is needed.
Chronic Kidney Disease in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Enfermedad renal crónica
- Gender and article
- feminine: la enfermedad renal crónica
- Pronunciation
- ehn-fehr-meh-DAHD rreh-NAHL KROH-nee-kah
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ERC | General | Abbreviation used by the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia article after the full name. |
| insuficiencia renal crónica | General | Listed by the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia under 'Nombres alternativos'. |
| falla renal crónica | General | Listed by the MedlinePlus en español topic page under 'Otros nombres', with falla crónica de los riñones. |
Enfermedad renal crónica is the name used by MedlinePlus en español and by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. It takes the feminine article, and the adjectives agree with it: la enfermedad renal crónica. The MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia abbreviates it ERC, where the English MedlinePlus page uses CKD. Under other names, the MedlinePlus en español topic page lists falla renal crónica and falla crónica de los riñones, and the encyclopedia lists insuficiencia renal crónica.
In its running text, MedlinePlus en español uses insuficiencia renal for kidney failure, which the disease can sometimes lead to. The encyclopedia calls the final stage enfermedad renal terminal, abbreviated ERT. Related words are riñones (kidneys), diálisis (dialysis), trasplante de riñón (kidney transplant) and análisis de sangre y orina (blood and urine tests). For high blood pressure, MedlinePlus en español writes hipertensión arterial and the NCI dictionary writes presión arterial alta.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Clinician | Your blood and urine tests show that your kidneys are not filtering as they should. | Sus análisis de sangre y orina muestran que sus riñones no están filtrando como deberían. |
| Patient | Does that mean I have chronic kidney disease? | ¿Eso significa que tengo enfermedad renal crónica? |
| Clinician | Do you have diabetes or high blood pressure? | ¿Tiene diabetes o presión arterial alta? |
| Patient | I have had high blood pressure for ten years. | Tengo presión arterial alta desde hace diez años. |
| Patient | I do not feel sick. Can I have kidney disease without symptoms? | No me siento mal. ¿Puedo tener enfermedad renal sin síntomas? |
| Clinician | How much salt do you use in your food? | ¿Cuánta sal usa en sus comidas? |
| Patient | Will I need dialysis? | ¿Voy a necesitar diálisis? |
| Patient | How often do I need to repeat the kidney tests? | ¿Cada cuánto tengo que repetir las pruebas de los riñones? |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Chronic Kidney Disease |
| Spanish (Español) | Enfermedad renal crónica |
| Chinese (中文) | 慢性腎臟病 |
| Korean (한국어) | 만성 신장 질환 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Bệnh thận mãn tính |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Chronic kidney disease |
| Portuguese (Português) | Doença renal crônica |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โรคไตเรื้อรัง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 慢性腎臓病 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: N18 → Chronic kidney disease (CKD)Related terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Kidneys and urinary system
All terms in this area: Kidneys and urinary system — Riñones y vías urinarias
Sources
- Chronic Kidney Disease — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Enfermedad renal crónica — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- chronic kidney disease — NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms — National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH
- enfermedad renal crónica — Diccionario de cáncer del NCI — Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NCI), NIH
- Enfermedad renal crónica: MedlinePlus enciclopedia médica — MedlinePlus en español (Enciclopedia médica), Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026