What's autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease?
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is the most common inherited kidney disorder. Multiple cysts develop in both kidneys and enlarge over time, and kidney function gradually declines.
| Features mapped | 6 |
|---|---|
| Treatments mapped | 1 |
| Published sources | 6 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-08-04 |
Signs and symptoms
Hematuria
Blood in the urine (hematuria) can occur in ADPKD.
Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the most common findings in ADPKD.
Enlarged kidney
The kidneys often become enlarged in ADPKD, and this can cause significant symptoms.
Renal cyst
In ADPKD, many fluid-filled cysts develop and grow in both kidneys over time; their gradual buildup is the central feature of the disease.
Hepatic cysts
Cysts in the liver (hepatic cysts) are among the most common findings in ADPKD.
Flank pain
Pain in the side or back (flank pain) can occur in ADPKD.
Treatment and management
What the research describes, not a recommendation. Treatment decisions belong with your clinician.
This covers treatments that appear in the published research mapped here. Investigational and experimental therapies are not included, so their absence is a boundary of this map, not a sign they do not exist.
tolvaptan
Tolvaptan is a disease-modifying medicine for ADPKD that slows the growth in kidney size and the decline in kidney function, though it can have side effects.
Used to help with: Enlarged kidney.
“Tolvaptan, the only disease-modifying therapy, slows total kidney volume growth and estimated glomerular filtration rate decline in rapidly progressing cases, although it may have adverse effects.”
How to read the evidence labels
Where this comes from
This guide is built from 6 published source(s). Every claim above links back to one of them. Click any source ID to read the original on PubMed.
Take it further
Printed, source-linked documents built from this condition's graph — ready to bring to an appointment or attach to a coverage request. Every claim carries its published source, the same as this guide.