The 5 Stages of Kidney Disease

Stages 1 - 5

Everyone Should Know Their Kidney Stage

No matter the stage of kidney disease you can do a lot to protect the remaining kidney function.  

Lots of living left

Treatments, medications and lifestyle changes including diet can help to ensure you are living your very best while protecting your kidneys.


Each of the five stages have information and diet and any restrictions that may become part of eating a kidney-friendly tasty diet.  Seek all the advice you can when dealing with your health and well-being.  

Remember: your kidneys hear everything!

The 5 stages of kidney disease

Depending on your test result's you will be told which stage of function your kidneys are and what that means to your diet, lifestyle and possible treatments, including; medications.

Many who find out their kidneys are not functioning well had no idea.  Kidney disease symptoms and signs are silent for most and often thought of as something else.

It is vital that no matter the stage your kidneys are functioning, you can help slow any progression of kidney disease with diet and following your doctors' recommendations and treatment options.


Stage 1


  • Stage 1

  • Information

  • Symptoms

  • Stage 1 Tests and Monitoring

GFR is high to moderately high 

>90 mL/min/1.73 m2

In the first stage, the kidneys are generally undamaged but have slightly diminished function. Stage 1 is the most difficult to diagnose Chronic Kidney Disease CKD, so even if caught, it can be treated as acute kidney failure (which is reversible) until proven otherwise.

Stage 2


  • Stage 2

  • Information

  • Symptoms

  • Stage 2 Tests and Monitoring

GFR begins to drop at this stage

60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2

Slightly more kidney damage at this stage, but this too would only be detectable by blood, urinalysis or through X-rays or other imaging scans.

Stage 3


  • Stage 3

  • Information

  • Symptoms

  • Stage 3 Tests and Monitoring

  • Medications

GFR begins to drop at this stage:

 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m2

If you have stage 3 kidney disease, you have moderate kidney damage. With modifications in diet and lifestyle will assist you in maintaining kidney function without digressing to next stage.

Stage 3 is broken up into two groups depending on your glomerular filtration rate (GFR):

  • a decrease in GFR for Stage 3A is 45-59 mL/min.
  • a decrease in GFR for Stage 3B is 30-44 mL/min.
  • Stage 4


    • Stage 4

    • Information

    • Symptoms

    • Stage 4 Tests and Monitoring

    • Medications

    GFR is severely reduced
    15-30 ml/min/1.73 m2

    When you have been diagnosed with stage 4 chronic kidney disease, this means that you have advanced kidney damage with a severe decrease in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to 15-30 ml/min. 

    A decline in kidney function causes waste products to build up in the blood, resulting in a condition called uremia.

    At Stage 4, it's more likely to develop complications such as high blood pressure and anemia - a shortage of red blood cells. Additionally, you may develop renal osteodystrophy, heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.      

    Stage 5


    • Stage 5

    • Information

    • Symptoms

    • Stage 5 Treatments

    • Medications

    GFR is 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 or less

    Kidney Failure

    If you are at stage 5 chronic kidney disease this means you have end stage renal disease (ESRD) with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 15 ml/min or less.

    At this stage in kidney disease, the kidneys have lost nearly all or have lost their ability to function effectively. Treatment options are dialysis or kidney transplant, if possible, to stay alive.

    Recommended Topics

    Explore  |  Treatments

    Hemodialysis

    Blood passes through a dialyzer in the process to clean the blood removing toxins & extra fluids.

    Explore  |  Treatments  

    Peritoneal Dialysis

    Uses the peritoneal sack, dialyzing the blood within the body removing toxins and extra fluid.

    Explore  |  Treatments  

    Kidney Transplant

    A kidney transplant is not a cure and comes with a  lifelong commitment & medications.

    New!

    Hungry? Kidney issues?

    Get your FREE copy of The Kidney-Friendly Ultimate Grocery List with more than 175 food items including, national brand names you know and love. 

    Also included are two bonus recipe cards to help make kidney-friendly foods easy to prepare and most, importantly, tasty!