Renal health in Chile.

The prevalence of 20 diseases was studied in a representative sample of 3619 individuals in Chile. Twelve percent of the participants were younger than 25, 63% were 25-64 years old, and 25% were at least 65 years old. Thirty-four percent had high blood pressure, 60% were aware of their condition, 36% received treatment, and 12% reached their goal blood pressure. Renal function was assessed by serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate, as estimated by the Cockroft-Gault formula. In all, 6.7% had elevated creatinine, 14% showed proteinuria, and 0.2% showed advanced renal damage. The results of this study will contribute to the prevention of renal diseases in Chile.