Most people who are strong and healthy may never know what five stages of renal failure indicate. For people in this fortunate category life is good. Unfortunately, not everybody may have it so good. For some people, signs of renal failure can be a difficult but unwelcome reality. In order to understand renal failure, it’s important to understand what the kidneys are and how the kidneys function. This is the very first step in discussing the question: what is renal failure.
In very simple terms, the kidneys can be described as a pair of fist-sized vital organs, which help to keep the blood chemically balanced and clean. The way the kidneys work can be compared to a complex cleansing machine. Each day, the kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood. In the process, about two quarts of excess water and liquid waste products are extracted from the blood. The liquid waste becomes urine and is stored in the bladder for a while before it is expelled by the process of urination. People with a healthy pair of kidneys may never experience any of the five stages of renal failure.
Unfortunately, the kidneys are not always in first-class shape. When the kidneys do not function properly, a lot of medical complications may result. For the purpose of clarity, it is important to understand the five stages of renal failure. It is also important to understand the different ways in which the kidney may malfunction and the different causes of kidney failure in individuals.
There are many factors that can cause the kidney to fail and eventually lead to the five stages of renal failure. Some of these are injury to the kidney, extended use of painkillers, poisonous substances, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and inherited conditions.. It is also important to add that kidney damage may be sudden or chronic. In both cases, the result is usually bad for the patient. The different treatment options would depend on the severity of the problem and the amount of damage that has been done to the kidney already. The point is that the earlier treatment is begun; the better for the patient. There is no point waiting for end stage renal failure symptoms before treatment is started.
For the purpose of clarity, the five stages of renal failure are discussed in detail below.
The Five Stages Of Renal Failure – Stage One:
The first stage is condition in which the patient has about 90 percent glomerular filtration rate (GFR). At this point, there is a bit of kidney damage already, but with early treatment the problem might be easily resolved.
The Five Stages Of Renal Failure – Stage Two:
The second stage is a condition in which the patient has kidney damage with about 60-89 percent glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In both stages one and two, it is vital to keep blood pressure and sugar level on safe levels.
The Five Stages Of Renal Failure – Stage Three:
Stage three is the stage at which the patient has definite kidney damage with glomerular filtration rate at about 30-59 percent. At this stage, the medical expert will have to check for complications such as bone disease and anemia. Serious treatment is needed at this stage and so is constant monitoring.
The Five Stages Of Renal Failure – Stage Four:
At stage four, the patient has kidney damage and the glomerular filtration rate is at 15-29 percent. At this stage, kidney failure is likely and the patient needs to be told the options available in case it does happen.
The Five Stages Of Renal Failure – Stage Five:
Stage five can also be considered one of the final stages of renal failure. In other words, the patient has got to the point of kidney failure. The implication here is that the person in question has below 15 percent glomerular filtration rate. The only solution at this point would be to start kidney dialysis or have a kidney transplant.
Correct kidney function is vital to life. Constant checks and early treatment will definitely make the difference in almost all cases of kidney problems. These are the five stages of renal failure and the characteristics of each stage.
Filed under: The Five Stages Of Renal Failure
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