Kidney disease is a chronic condition where the kidneys lose their ability to properly filter waste from the blood and excrete it through urine. People with diabetes or hypertension are at higher risk for kidney disease, and that risk increases with age.

“It’s important for patients to have their creatinine levels checked during their yearly checkup because high levels indicate when the kidneys are not flushing out toxins from the body,” says David P. Selzer, MD, a nephrologist and internal medicine specialist at NYU Langone Medical Associates—West Palm Beach and NYU Langone Medical Associates—Delray Beach.

Since potassium levels increase when kidneys are unable to remove creatinine, Dr. Selzer also recommends a low-potassium diet for patients, especially for those with severe kidney injury.

Read more from Livestrong.com.