What Are the Different Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease?

Stage 1 has kidney damage with a glomerularPandemic Survival Review filtration rate (GFR) at a normal or high level. Usually there are no symptoms to indicate the kidneys are damaged. Kidneys do function and most patients will not know they have stage 1 kidney disease. The symptoms of this disease include higher than normal levels of creatinine in the blood, blood in the urine and evidence of kidney damage in an MRI, CT scan or ultrasound.

Stage 2 has kidney damage with a mild decrease in their glomerular filtration rate (GFR). There may be no symptoms to indicate the kidneys are damaged. The symptoms of stage 2 kidney disease include higher than normal levels of creatinine or urea in the blood and evidence of kidney damage in an MRI or CT scan.

Stage 3 has kidney damage with a moderate decrease in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Due to decline in the kidney functioning, waste products get build up in the blood. This condition is known as 'uremia'. Symptoms present in stage 3 kidney disease include fatigue, feeling tired, anemia, swelling (edema) in the lower legs, kidney pain, insomnia etc. A patient may urinate more or less and get up at night to go for urination.