Link Between Bipolar Disorder & Kidney Disease

Overview

Chronic kidney disease is a potentially fatal condition with strong ties to bipolar disorder. The prevalence of kidney disease, or renal failure, in bipolar individuals is a source of great debate in the medical community. Bipolar medications, lifestyle and genetics all seem to heighten one's risk of kidney failure.
Kidney Disease

The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that chronic kidney disease, the inability of damaged kidneys to remove toxic waste from the blood, affects 20 million Americans.

Lithium

The Mood Disorders Center at Baylor College of Medicine warns that lithium, a commonly prescribed bipolar medication, can cause serious and irreparable damage that leads to kidney failure.
Genetics

Research conducted by the University of California-San Diego Department of Psychiatry finds that chromosomes believed to cause bipolar disorder may also cause cystic kidney disease.
Smoking

The British Medical Association reports that bipolar individuals are significantly more likely to smoke cigarettes, a known behavioral contributor to the onset of chronic kidney disease.
Diabetes

According to the "Annals of Clinic Psychiatry," bipolar disorder increases the risk of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association warns that diabetes is the most common cause of renal failure.