Your kidneys play a vital role in keeping you healthy. This guide helps you understand how kidney disease works, what the stages mean, and what you can do to take control of your health.
Did You Know?
Your kidneys filter about 200 liters (53 gallons) of blood every day.
Most people have two kidneys, each about the size of a fist, located near the middle of your back. They may be small, but they perform several life-sustaining jobs:
Remove waste products and excess fluid from your blood, producing urine.
Regulate sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus levels in your blood.
Manage fluid levels and produce renin, a hormone that helps regulate blood pressure.
Make erythropoietin (for red blood cells) and activate vitamin D (for bone health).
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is classified into 5 stages based on your GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) â a measure of how well your kidneys are filtering. Click each stage to learn more.
Kidney health indicator for Stage 1
Your kidneys are working normally or near-normally, but there are signs of kidney damage (like protein in urine). You likely feel fine.
GFR SCALE (mL/min)
Early kidney disease often has no symptoms. As it progresses, you may experience some of the following. Tap each symptom to learn more.
If you know your serum creatinine level from a recent blood test, you can get a rough estimate of your kidney function. This uses the CKD-EPI 2021 equation.
This is a simplified estimate using the CKD-EPI 2021 formula. Always confirm results with your doctor.
There is a lot of misinformation about kidney disease. Tap each myth to reveal the truth.
See how much you've learned about kidney disease with this quick quiz.
Lutango helps you track meals, fluids, blood pressure, and medications â all tailored for kidney patients.
Get Started â It's Free