(StatePoint) Discussing family health history and inherited conditions may not be easy, but these conversations are critical. Many people may not recognize the role family history plays in their own health until a condition such as autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) enters the picture.

ADPKD is the most common inherited kidney disease, affecting more than 600,000 people in the United States. Because it is passed down through the family line, each child of a parent with ADPKD has a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. But not everyone with ADPKD has a family history – 10% of those diagnosed are the first in their family to have the disease.

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