About Stage 5 CKD
Stage 5 CKD means you have kidney failure (also known as end-stage kidney disease or ESKD).
People with stage 5 CKD have an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 15 for 3 months or longer (confirmed by repeated tests to make sure they do not have acute kidney injury) or are on dialysis Another way to look at these numbers is that your kidneys are functioning at less than 15% of the average performance of two healthy kidneys in a young person. For this reason, people with stage 5 CKD need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive
Health risks of stage 5 CKD
Stage 5 CKD puts you at higher risk for heart disease (even if your urine albumin to creatinine ratio (uACR) is less than 30) As your uACR increases, so does your risk of developing heart disease
Many people with stage 5 chronic kidney disease also have one or more complications of kidney disease These complications include
● Anemia (low red blood cell count)
● Metabolic acidosis (accumulation of acid in the blood)
● Mineral and bone disease (when calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood become unbalanced, causing bone and/or heart disease)
● Hyperkalemia (high levels of potassium in the blood) In stage 5 chronic kidney disease, it is important to have regular check-ups with your doctor to continue monitoring for these complications, especially if you are on dialysis Each of these complications can be monitored with simple blood tests ordered by your doctor.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms are common with stage 5 CKD and may include
● Urinating less often than usual or not at all
● Dry and/or itchy skin
● Feeling tired
● Difficulty concentrating
● Numbness or swelling in your arms, legs, ankles, or feet
● muscle aches or cramps
● difficulty breathing
● nausea and/or vomiting
● loss of appetite
● trouble sleeping
● Breath smelling like ammonia (also described as urine or "fishy")