Character actor Grizzwald “Grizz” Chapman died May 22, from natural causes after suffering from severe high blood pressure that led to kidney failure. He was 52.

Other notables who recently died from kidney failure include Gospel singer/songwriter Richard Smallwood, legendary singer/songwriter Neil Sedaka, country music legend Bill Cody, and singer Monica Arnold’s father M.C. “Billy” Arnold Jr.

Deaths from kidney failure are on the rise in the United States due to increasing rates of diabetes and high blood pressure.

Your kidneys play a vital role in filtering toxins and waste from your body. Without properly functioning kidneys, toxins and waste can build up in your bloodstream and internal organs. Your kidneys also regulate your body’s chemistry and helps to keep it in balance.

What are early warning signs of kidney failure?

Early warning signs of kidney failure are subtle and most people won’t notice they have kidney problems. By the time warning signs become a problem, your kidneys are already failing and kidney disease has advanced.

Warning signs of kidney failure include: edema (swelling) in legs and ankles, changes in daily urine output (too much or too little urine), fatigue (feeling excessively tired), sharp pain in your lower back or flanks, shortness of breath with or without exertion, sleep disturbances, restless legs syndrome, foul-smelling breath or metallic taste in your mouth, changes in skin color (dark skin), itchy skin and rashes, feeling cold all the time.

Signs of advanced kidney failure (also called end-stage kidney failure) include nausea, vomiting, swelling in feet and ankles, dark urine, too much or too little urine output, loss of appetite, change in skin turgor, dry itchy skin, confusion. Usually the only treatment options for end-stage kidney failure are dialysis or kidney transplant.

What causes kidney failure?

Conditions that cause kidney failure include high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and autoimmune diseases that attack the kidneys.