What are the types of kidney disease?
There are 2 types of kidney disease. Acute kidney injury identifies a sudden reduction in kidney function, often occurring in the hospital setting or with other serious injury or illness. Chronic kidney disease is often insidious; it is silent, and sneaks up on unsuspecting folk like the proverbial thief in the night, and is thought to be much more common than acute kidney injury. The severity of kidney disease is classified based on estimated kidney filtration function (GFR), which is a measure of the ability of both kidneys to excrete waste products. Therefore, 5 stages of kidney failure are identified: stage 1 (kidney damage with normal GFR), stage 2 (kidney damage with mild reduction in GFR above 60% of normal), stage 3 (GFR between 30 to 59%), stage 4 (GFR between 15 to 29%), stage 5 (GFR under 15%). Stage 5 kidney disease suggests the need for kidney replacement, either through transplantation or by dialysis treatment.
