Overview
Chronic kidney disease (CKD and chronic renal disease) means that there’s damage to your kidneys and they aren’t working as well as they should. Your kidneys are like a filter in your body — filtering out wastes, toxins and extra water from your blood. They also help with other functions like bone and red blood cell health. When your kidneys begin to lose their function, they can’t filter waste, which means the waste builds up in your blood.
Kidney disease is called “chronic” because kidney function slowly decreases over time. CKD can lead to kidney failure, which is also called end-stage kidney disease. Not everyone with CKD will develop kidney failure, but the disease will often worsen without treatment. There’s no cure for chronic kidney disease. But there are steps you can take to slow kidney damage. Treatments like dialysis and transplantation are options for kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease).
What do your kidneys do?
You have two kidneys. They’re bean-shaped organs that are located toward your back, on either side of your spine, just underneath your rib cage. Each kidney is about the size of your fist.
Your kidneys have many jobs, but their main job is to clean your blood, getting rid of toxins, waste and excess water as urine (pee). Your kidneys also balance the amount of electrolytes (such as salt and potassium) and minerals in your body, make hormones that control blood pressure, make red blood cells and keep your bones strong. If your kidneys are damaged and don’t work as they should, wastes can build up in your blood and make you sick.
What are the 5 stages of chronic kidney disease?
There are five stages of chronic kidney disease. The stages are based on how well your kidneys are able to filter out waste from your blood. Blood and urine tests determine which stage of CKD you’re in.
The stages range from very mild (stage 1) to kidney failure (stage 5). Healthcare providers determine the stage of your kidney function according to the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Your GFR is a number based on the amount of creatinine, a waste product, found in your blood.
How common is this condition?
About 15% of adults in the United States have chronic kidney disease. Some 37 million people in the U.S. are living with chronic kidney disease.
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Prevention
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
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