Is 50% kidney Function Enough

Is 50% renal function enough?? By Josh
Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measures how efficiently the kidney is working. It uses a percentage to convey the result i.e. 90% indicates the kidney is functioning at 90% of normal capacity. Until recently a GFR was deduced from taking a 24 hour urine sample after injecting a substance into the bloodstream. Now days GFR can be measured by checking creatine levels in a blood sample. Creating comes from the breakdown of muscle. Kidney’s filter the blood and thus take out the creating so a high level of creatine in blood would indicate a kidney operating at a low percentage (How your kidney’s work)
Levels of Kidney Failure
• Increased risk of CKD. A GFR of 90 or above is considered normal. Even with a normal GFR, you may be at increased risk for developing CKD if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney disease. The risk increases with age: People over 65 are more than twice as likely to develop CKD as people between the ages of 45 and 65. African Americans also have a higher risk of developing CKD.
• Stage 1: Kidney damage with normal GFR (90 or above). Kidney damage may be detected before the GFR begins to decline. In this first stage of kidney disease, the goals of treatment are to slow the progression of CKD and reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
• Stage 2: Kidney damage with mild decrease in GFR (60 to 89). When kidney function starts to decline, your health care provider will estimate the progression of your CKD and continue treatment to reduce the risk of other health problems.
• Stage 3: Moderate decrease in GFR (30 to 59). When CKD has advanced to this stage, anemia and bone problems become more common. Work with your health care provider to prevent or treat these complications.
• Stage 4: Severe reduction in GFR (15 to 29). Continue following the treatment for complications of CKD and learn as much as you can about the treatments for kidney failure. Each treatment requires preparation. If you choose hemodialysis, you will need to have a procedure to make a vein in your arm larger and stronger for repeated needle insertions. For peritoneal dialysis, you will need to have a catheter placed in your abdomen. Or you may want to ask family or friends to consider donating a kidney for transplantation.
• Stage 5: Kidney failure (GFR less than 15). When the kidneys do not work well enough to maintain life, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Dot points taken from http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/
Bibliography
How you kidney’s work
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/