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The kidney is a complex organ that consists of many different types of specialized cells, highly organized in a functioning unit called the nephron. Due to diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, urinary tract infections, etc) or other risk factors (e.g. family history, older age), the nephron may fail to perform its function.
Once the damage of the kidneys starts, the process is ongoing and kidney function tends to decline, even if the initial insult has been eliminated. Although the damage cannot be repaired, there are steps you can take to slow down the progression of CKD and keep your kidneys healthier for a longer time - a balanced diet, special medication, change of lifestyle, etc.
The stages of CKD are determined by how well the kidneys perform their function, i.e. filter out waste and extra fluid from the blood. The more advanced the kidney disease is, the harder it is for kidneys to get rid of these metabolic end-products which may lead to them [lead them to] stop working altogether.
This is estimated by the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a number that is determined with a simple blood test and the amount of creatinine (a waste product) in your blood. A lower GFR signifies that a smaller amount of blood passes through the kidney filters each minute.
GFR level: 90ml/min or higher
kidneys are usually healthy and working well, but there are other signs of damage like proteinuria (protein in urine) or physical damage
it is usually determined by abnormalities in the blood, urine tests or imaging studies
GFR level: 60-89 ml/min
similarly to stage 1, kidneys are usually healthy and still performing well, but there are signs of damage like proteinuria (protein in urine) or physical damage
patient is diagnosed with CKD
GFR level: 30-59ml/min
kidneys are not working as well as they should, which leads to waste building up in the body
at this stage, you are more likely to have health complications such as high blood pressure, anemia and bone disease
GFR level: 15-29ml/min
kidneys are moderately or severely damaged and are in the last stage before kidney failure
at this point it is time to begin preparing for dialysis and/or a kidney transplant
GFR level below 15ml/min
kidneys have lost nearly all their ability to do their job effectively and are getting very close to failure or have failed completely
at this advanced stage, you need to start dialyzing or get a kidney transplant in order to live
The existence of the disease is determined based on the presence of kidney damage and the level of kidney function or glomerular filtration rate (GFR). If you want to learn how the GFR is estimated visit our GFR calculator page.