Chronic Kidney Disease Stages

Chronic Kidney Disease Stages And What They Mean

Chronic kidney disease stages define the progression of a serious and potentially life-threatening kidney problem: chronic kidney disease of CKD.

Chronic kidney disease stages range from sSage 1 to Stage 5: the higher the number of the stage, the greater the progression of the kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition that develops over an extended period of time. It can be decades before chronic kidney disease symptoms begin to present themselves. By the time symptoms are noticeable, a large percentage of kidney tissue may have been destroyed. There are many possible reasons behind this damage. See chronic renal failure causes for a lit of related diseases and risk factors.

Chronic kidney diseases stages are useful diagnostic tools for doctors, who can treat patients based on the stage their kidney disease has reached. Doctors use a measurement called the glomerular filtration rate or GFR to determine how efficiently your kidneys are functioning. GFR is an important factor in determining chronic kidney disease stages.

Stage 1 - Damage at this stage of chronic kidney disease is regarded as "mild." A GFR of 90-100 is typical. At this chronic kidney disease stage, you won't even know there's a problem and it's likely there will be no symptoms there's anything wrong.

Stage 2 - Glomerular filtration rate is lower, ranging from approximately 60 to 89. You probably still won't have any symptoms, but kidney function tests would begin to detect abnormal protein levels in the urine. Most people don't pay much attention to the texture of their urine, but when there's more protein than normal, it will sometimes look foamy. Foamy urine is a good reason to talk to your doctor.

Stage 3 - When chronic kidney disease has reached this stage, you may notice changes in the pattern of urination. You may find you have to get up at night more often. A certain level of fatigue and weakness may begin to appear at this stage. Some occasional cramping, dry skin and generalized itchiness may occur. Tests might show that you have anemia. A GFR test will give you a reading between 30 and 59 at Stage 3.

Stage 4 - Fluids begin to accumulate because chronic kidney disease has lowered the ability of the kidneys to perform their normal functions filtering functions. Symptoms become more numerous and prominent. You'll need the help of a nutritionist with your diet, limiting your phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. Urinary output will decrease and you'll feel generally unwell. Your doctor will start to talk to you about the possibility of kidney dialysis. GFR will read between 15 and 29. Kidney function has been seriously compromised by this time.

Stage 5 - This stage is critical and kidney failure is imminent if it hasn't already occurred. Symptoms of chronic kidney disease are obvious and may include nausea, vomiting, noticeable swelling and bloating and almost no urine production. At this stage, the kidneys have basically stopped working and you'll either need kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.

Chronic kidney disease is often discovered by accident because your doctor is treating you for some other disorder. Individuals with hypertension (high blood pressure) or diabetes are more prone to develop chronic kidney disease more often than those who don't have these conditions. So your doctor may want to run kidney function tests if you have hypertension or diabetes.

There are also certain risk factors connected to chronic kidney disease. If you smoke, are obese, or are over 65 years old, your chances of developing chronic kidney disease are higher. CKD is also more prevalent in certain demographic groups, especially African-Americans, American Indians or Asian-Americans. Finally, you should be vigilant if you have a family history of kidney problems.

When CKD is diagnosed in the early stages (mainly Stages 1 and 2), the progress of the disease can be slowed with medications and lifestyle changes. In many cases, however, it's impossible to reverse significant damage to kidney tissue that has already taken place.

As you can tell, it's important to take care of your kidneys. Don't take kidney health for granted, and be sure to watch out for CKD symptoms while learning more about chronic kidney disease stages. 

Learn more about the dangers of kidney disease
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The Kidney Disease Solution