Renal disease is a disease of the kidneys, which means that the kidneys are damaged and are losing function. Your kidneys filter toxins from your blood. When you lose kidney function, toxins remain in your blood. A contributing factor to kidney disease is high blood pressure and diabetes.
Doctors use your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to check for kidney disease. GFR tests measure the amount of creatinine, a type of waste, in your blood. Once a doctor confirms that you have kidney disease, there are five stages of renal disease.
Stages:
**Stage 1:** Your GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) is 90 or higher. This indicates that your kidneys are functioning well, but there are signs of mild kidney damage.
**Stage 2:** Your GFR is between 60 and 89. Your kidneys are still functioning adequately, but there are additional signs of mild kidney damage.
**Stage 3a:** Your GFR ranges from 45 to 59. Kidney function is declining, and there is moderate damage. This stage is the most commonly observed.
**Stage 3b:** Your GFR levels are between 30 and 44. At this stage, your kidneys are not functioning as well as they should. With appropriate treatment, many people can remain in this stage without progressing to stage 4.
**Stage 4:** Your GFR is between 15 and 29. Kidney function is significantly impaired and is nearing complete failure.
**Stage 5:** Your GFR is less than 15. Your kidneys are close to failing or have already failed. At this stage, you may require dialysis or a transplant.
Treatments:
Nowadays, scientists have come up with technology that can help manage the deterioration of the kidneys. One such example is dialysis machines. Dialysis machines filter your blood for you, so it reduces the stress on the kidneys. Artificial kidneys are being innovated to implant in patients with end-stage kidney disease.
Related Stories:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15096-chronic-kidney-disease
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease
https://pharm.ucsf.edu/kidney/device
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36129158/
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