GFR is the measurement doctors use to find out your kidney function. Knowing your GFR score lets your doctor learn the stage of your kidney disease and plan the best possible treatment.
Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, dialysis, or a kidney transplant if you are diagnosed with stage 5 of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Dialysis acts as a filter to get rid of toxins and excess fluids that the kidneys no longer can remove. However, dialysis cannot do all the functions of a healthy kidney. Because of this, dialysis is about one tenth as effective as a working kidney.
When a person is on dialysis, they usually must follow a special diet and limit fluid intake. They also may not feel well, and they could have health complications related to dialysis treatments.
The preferred treatment for kidney failure is a kidney transplant. A kidney transplant gives the recipient a new kidney to work in place of the failing ones. Transplant recipients tend to feel better, have more energy, enjoy a normal diet, and have more freedom than people on dialysis.
Your doctor will take a blood sample. Then they use a mathematical formula that estimates how well your kidneys are filtering waste.
You can't find out your GFR on your own because you need specific data from a blood test.
The formula includes the following:
A GFR test is the most precise way of finding out how well your kidneys are working. It shows what stage of kidney disease you have.
Knowing your GFR and how it changes over time shows doctors how quickly your kidney disease is progressing. It will help them decide or adjust your treatment.
Glomeruli are tiny filters in the kidneys that strain waste from the blood. Damage to them can lead to kidney disease.
Doctors use blood test results in a formula that reveals how well the glomeruli in the kidneys are working.
Before the blood test, you may need to:
Your doctor will tell you how to prepare for the blood test.
If you have kidney disease, you'll want to become familiar with your GFR.
For instance, you may wonder what a normal GFR is for a 70-year-old.
Your age is one of the main factors in determining GFR. GFR gets lower with age, even if you don't have kidney disease.
But no matter how old you are, a GFR:
A low GFR means your kidneys aren't filtering your blood as well as they should.
A GFR under 60 means you have kidney disease. If the number is below 15, you have kidney failure and will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Bouts of severe dehydration can sometimes lead to kidney injury and a lower GFR. But it isn't a typical cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and low GFR.
Chronic dehydration is more likely to lead to other problems, like kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
Check with your doctor about how much water you should drink each day.
If you have moderate to advanced kidney disease, you may need to limit fluid intake. Damaged kidneys can't filter as much fluid out of the body, causing swelling that leads to problems like high blood pressure.
Increasing your water intake likely won't affect your GFR in the long run.
If your water intake is already at normal levels, drinking more won't slow your kidney disease. In fact, drinking too much water can be harmful.
If you have CKD, it's crucial to ask your doctor how much water you should drink. If you have moderate to advanced CKD, you may need to limit your water intake.
Damaged kidneys might not be able to remove extra fluid from the body, causing it to build up inside the body. This can cause swelling in your feet, ankles, wrist, and face.
The excess fluid can also contribute to:
There are five stages of kidney disease. The lower your GFR score, the worse your kidney disease.
A GFR of 90 or higher is normal in most healthy people. There are few (if any) symptoms at this stage of early CKD.
A GFR between 60 and 89 may be normal for some people — such as the elderly or infants. That's if they don't have any kidney damage.
A GFR between 60 and 89 for three months or longer along with kidney damage is a sign of early CKD. There are often few (if any) symptoms at this stage.
People at stage 3 have moderate CKD and may want to see a nephrologist.
A GFR between 30 to 59 can cause:
A person at stage 4 has severe CKD and a GFR between 15 to 29.
They will likely need dialysis or a kidney transplant in the future.
People with a GFR of 15 or less have end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The kidneys have lost almost all ability to function effectively.
People at stage 5 will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.
You may be able to improve your GFR somewhat by changing your lifestyle.
Keep in mind that there's no cure for CKD. But healthy habits may slow the progression of the disease.
Because diabetes and high blood pressure are the main causes of CKD, it's vital to keep both under control.
Other ways to boost your kidney health are to:
Enter your age, serum creatinine, and gender to calculate your GFR.
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