Kidney Failure Stages

Kidneys are pair of bean shaped organs located at the back of the abdominal cavity, one on either side of the spine. The main function of the kidneys is to filter the blood and remove waste materials along with excess water. Besides, they also balance the electrolytes in the body and control the blood pressure. Normally, the capacity of kidneys to perform at an optimum efficiency starts diminishing in old age. However, certain external factors like blood loss, dehydration or heart attack may force the kidneys to reduce their efficiency rapidly. This accounts for an acute renal failure. On the other hand, chronic kidney disease refers to the failure of kidney/kidneys to function properly, over the years. More on chronic renal failure.

Kidney Failure Stages
The severity of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is determined upon the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR). The normal GFR rate in a healthy person is about 90mL/min or more. It goes on decreasing for every stage of kidney failure. The GFR for every stage is given in the table below.

Stage	GFR Level
Normal kidney function	90 mL/min or more
Stage 1	90 mL/min or more
Stage 2	60 to 89 mL/min
Stage 3	30 to 59 mL/min
Stage 4	15 to 29 mL/min
Stage 5	Less than 15 mL/min or on dialysis

Stage 1
Although, the GFR level falls within the normal range, slight abnormalities is the kidney function are reported at this stage. These abnormalities are often an indication of an onset of a kidney disease. However, these abnormalities can only be found in a pathological examination. The treatment options at this stage are abundant. The individual needs to keep his blood pressure under control and also a close watch on kidney failure symptoms is required.

Stage 2
There is a mild reduction in GFR level which points to a kidney disease. Blood/urine tests, imaging studies are required to find out more about the kidney disease. A proper diagnosis at this stage is necessary to initiate the treatment of kidney disease.

Stage 3
There is a moderate reduction in the GFR level. Depending upon the GFR level, this stage is further divided into two sub-stages, 3A and 3B. GFR level between 45 to 60 mL/min falls under stage 3A, while stage 3B is more severe, with GFR level between 30 to 45 mL/min. A proper screening at this stage is a must to prevent permanent damage to the kidneys.

Stage 4
The GFR level drops to 15 to 29 mL/min which is an indication of an end stage kidney failure. Other organs in the body also start affecting due to kidney dysfunction. The only treatment available at this stage is renal replacement therapy.

Stage 5
The GFR level falls so low that the kidneys almost cease to work. The only treatment available to improve the chances of survival, is permanent renal replacement therapy. This treatment is either in the form of dialysis or kidney transplant. More on kidney dialysis process.

Kidneys are one of the most important functional organs in the human body. Unhealthy lifestyle can greatly affect the working of kidneys. Hence, it is imperative that you adopt a healthy lifestyle and drink lots of water to avoid going through any of the kidney failure stages.