Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): From Early Signs to Kidney Failure
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) develops gradually, and its seriousness is measured in five stages. These stages are based on how well your kidneys are filtering waste and fluids from the blood, usually checked through a test called eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate). In the early stages, you may not notice any symptoms, but as the condition progresses, signs become more visible and treatment becomes more crucial. Understanding the stages of CKD helps patients and families recognize the condition early, manage health better, and take timely steps to slow its progression.
What are the Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease?
Here are the 5 stages of CKD. These stages range from mild damage in stage 1 to complete kidney failure in stage 5.
The stages are categorized based on how much extra fluid and waste your kidneys can filter out of your blood.
Your kidneys can still filter out waste from your blood in the early stages of kidney disease.
But they need to work harder to get rid of waste and they even may stop working completely as they reach more advanced stages.
Before we begin with the stages of chronic kidney disease, let’s first understand what eGFR is.
eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) is the test to measure your level of kidney function and determine your stage of kidney disease. The value of eGFR is calculated by your blood creatinine test results, age, body size, and gender.
eGFR tells how much kidney function you have. A Kidney disease gets worse if GFR goes down.
If your eGFR is 90 or above, it signifies that you are in Stage 1 CKD and you have suffered a minimal amount of kidney damage.
Specifically, the eGFR of 90 or more means that your kidneys are functioning properly but other test results suggest you have kidney disease.
Such signs may include the presence of protein in your urine (pee) or actual physical harm of your kidneys.
If your eGFR ranges from 60 to 89, your kidney disease stage is two.
In this stage, although the kidneys are healthy and functioning well, you will begin to experience some of the symptoms of a mild level of kidney damage.
The symptoms of this stage are almost the same as the symptoms of the first stage but are characterized by higher severity.
The treatment of stage 2 chronic kidney disease is not very challenging at all because this stage is characterized by little harm to the kidney and can be healed quickly.
If you have an eGFR between 30 and 59, you have reached Stage 3 CKD. At this stage, your kidneys are damaged or they are not working as they should.
That is why, stage 3 chronic kidney disease treatment becomes complicated.
You might start observing symptoms like:
- Swelling in hands and feet
- Regular Back pain
- Frequent or less Urination (peeing) than normal
In Stage 3, health complications start showing up as waste builds up in your body and your kidneys are not working well. Some of these complications can be:
- High blood pressure
- Anaemia (a condition in which red blood cells are deficient)
- Bone related disease
At stage 3, you have to visit a nephrologist (kidney doctor). After analyzing your condition doctor will make a treatment plan that is right for you and tell you how often you will need to have your kidneys checked.
Apart from consulting with a nephrologist, you should also meet with a dietitian, who will help you follow a healthy diet.
Also, regularly check your blood pressure and diabetes and get regular medicine.
When you have an eGFR between 15 and 29, you have reached the stage 4 CKD.
In this stage, your kidneys are moderately or severely damaged.
You need to remember that stage 4 of CKD is a severe condition and it is the last stage before kidney failure.
Your hands and feet may swell. You may have back pain and you may you may urinate frequently at this stage.
Your health worsens further as waste builds up in your body. You may also have health issues like High blood pressure, anaemia, and Bone-related disease.
Here are some of the things you should do at this stage:
- Visit a nephrologist regularly. You should visit the nephrologist every three months.
The nephrologist will guide you and advise you on the treatment plan that is most appropriate for you. Nephrologists may also suggest specialized blood pressure medicines like ACE inhibitors and ARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers) depending on your vital parameters and comorbidities.
- Consult a dietitian, who will suggest a healthy diet plan.
Apart from that, you should ask your nephrologist about how to prepare for kidney failure, you need to start dialysis and even prepare for a kidney transplant once your kidney function starts deteriorating beyond a point.
Your doctors prescribe dialysis to remove waste products and excess fluid from your blood.
They may suggest a kidney transplant, too. A transplant is a surgical procedure in which a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor is taken and placed into your body. Learn more about kidney transplants.
If you have an eGFR of less than 15, it means you have Stage 5 CKD. Your kidneys are getting very close to failure or have entirely failed.
If your kidneys fail, waste builds up in your blood, and your health day by day getting more deteriorating.
Symptoms of kidney failure were:
- Itching
- Muscle cramps
- Feeling sick and throwing up
- Not feeling hungry
- Swelling in your hands and feet
- Back pain
- Frequent or less urination (peeing)
- Getting trouble breathing
- Sleeplessness
- Anxiety
Once your kidneys have failed, you have left two traditional treatment options, which your doctor will suggest.
- Regular Dialysis
- Kidney transplantation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1: How is the stage of CKD determined?
Doctors determine CKD stages using blood tests (eGFR), urine tests, and sometimes imaging. The stage shows how well your kidneys are working.
Q2: What are the symptoms in each stage of CKD?
Early stages (1 & 2) often have no noticeable symptoms. Middle stages (3 & 4) may cause swelling, tiredness, or high blood pressure. Stage 5 usually shows severe symptoms and often requires dialysis or transplant.
Q3: Can early-stage CKD be reversed?
CKD cannot usually be reversed, but in early stages its progression can be slowed with lifestyle changes, controlling blood pressure and diabetes, and proper medical care.
Q4: What happens in stage 5 CKD?
Stage 5 is kidney failure. At this stage, kidneys cannot filter waste properly, and patients usually need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
