Chronic kidney disease (CKD)is divided into five stages, ranging from stage 1 to stage 5.
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Acute vs. ## How Is Chronic Kidney Disease Staged?
The five stages are categorized based on the results of aneGFR blood test.
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Creatinine levels also naturally decline with age.
In most adults, a normal eGFR is 90 or above.
As kidney function starts to decline, the eGFR will also decrease.
Stage 1 CKD
With stage 1 CKD, the damage to your kidneys is mild.
Because of this, you may not have symptoms.
You will invariably have an increased amount of protein in your urine (proteinuria).
Typically, there are no symptoms associated with stage 1 CKD.
While certain changes may be seen on ultrasound or in urine tests, they may not cause observable symptoms.
The one exception isfoamy urinecaused by excessive amounts of a protein calledalbuminin your urine.
Treatment at stage 1 is largely focused on managing the underlying cause of kidney damage to slow disease progression.
There are two substages.
Increasing damage to the kidneys can cause the loss of important nutrients likecalciumand vitamin D, affecting bone health.
CKD Stages Progression
Chronic kidney disease usually progresses slowly over the course of years.
The risk of death with stage 5 CKD is influenced by the treatment.
Depending on your CKD stage, this may involve testing at least once annually.
If and when CKD progresses, more frequent testing may be needed.
Is Chronic Kidney Disease Reversible?
Although CKD is irreversible, it is possible for your eGFR to improve.
This might include a change in your body weight or the resolution of an acute kidney injury.
A regression in your eGFR won’t necessarily alter the recommended treatments.
Summary
Chronic kidney disease has five stages.
Stages 1 through 3 are often asymptomatic.
Symptoms more often become apparent by stage 4.
The five stages of CKD are determined by the results of an EGFR test.
The test estimates how much blood is filtered through your kidneys every minute.
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