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The Stages of Kidney Disease
The Stages of Kidney DiseaseChronic kidney disease is a gradual loss of kidney function over time. Your kidneys keep you healthy by getting ridof waste and excess fluids in your body. In most cases, early on, patients don’t have any symptoms.“It’s sort of a silent disease usually picked up on laboratory results.” – Dr. Aaron DallNephrologist/Kidney SpecialistThere are five stages of Chronic Kidney Disease, each stage marking a drop in the kidneys’ ability to filter waste fromyour blood. The best test for measuring how well, or how poorly, your kidneys are working is your GlomerularFiltration Rate or GFR.“The first stage is a very normal kidney function with some abnormalities in the urine. The second stage is just alittle bit lower kidney function. There may also be protein and blood in the urine. But just a slightly diminishedkidney function usually something 90-60 percent of normal. Stage three is once again a decreased kidneyfunction somewhere between 60 to 30 percent of normal kidney function.” – Dr. Aaron DallNephrologist/Kidney SpecialistChronic kidney disease stages 4 and 5 are more advanced. Your kidney function falls below 30 percent and you’llstart to feel symptoms.“You’ll have symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, decreased appetite. You can have things like metallic taste in yourmouth and you can get itchiness of the skin. Oftentimes nausea is also associated with more advanceddisease.” – Dr. Aaron Dall Nephrologist/Kidney SpecialistStage five or end stage renal disease is when your kidney function drops below ten percent. At this point, seriousintervention is the only way to stay alive.For Nona Rowan, that meant two years of dialysis, and finally a kidney transplant…“It's life changing. It's, you know, it's still I have to pinch myself some time and go. Did you really have atransplant?” – Nona, Patient“I had some testing done and of the new kidney. It is 87 percent functioning so that's pretty good.” – Nona,PatientNot everyone with chronic kidney disease needs to go on dialysis or have a kidney transplant.“Patients with chronic kidney disease are oftentimes very concerned that when they come to see their kidneyPage 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCRN1000998 EN TheStagesOfKidneyDisease.pdf© The Wellness NetworkThe Stages of Kidney Diseasedoctor that they’re going to need dialysis immediately. But that is not the case. It is a small percent ofpatients with chronic kidney disease that end up progressing to stage 4 and then stage 5 chronic kidneydisease and require dialysis or transplantation therapy.” – Dr. Aaron Dall Nephrologist/Kidney SpecialistYou can help keep your chronic kidney disease from getting worse by paying attention to your body and keepingyourself healthy.“Blood pressure control has been shown to really be the number one way we can control that decliningkidney function. We want to get that under control as best we can. Part of that is maintaining a good dietand that diet is, of course, nutritious and low in sodium.” – Dr. Aaron Dall Nephrologist/Kidney SpecialistBecause the two main causes of chronic kidney disease are high blood pressure and diabetes3, seeing yourdoctor regularly is important. He or she can tell if you’re at risk by monitoring your blood pressure – or by takingurine or blood samples.“Really their primary care doctor will help steer them towards the correct laboratory test to get that’susually on an annual to every other year basis just to see whether or not their function is stable or not.” – Dr.Aaron Dall Nephrologist/Kidney SpecialistYour kidneys are vital to your overall well-being. Follow up with your healthcare provider regularly to take thesteps you need for kidney health.Page 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCRN1000998 EN TheStagesOfKidneyDisease.pdf© The Wellness Network
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