Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term illness in which your kidneys gradually lose their ability to function. It progresses over months or years — and can lead to kidney failure if it isn't managed from the early stages. Dr. Mohammed Azmir, MD, board-certified nephrologist at Live Well Medical Care, explains what to know.
What is chronic kidney disease?
Your kidneys work like a strainer, filtering extra fluid and waste out of your blood and passing them out through urine. That filtering process also supports red blood cell production, balances electrolytes and helps regulate blood pressure.
Several long-term conditions can gradually damage this filter, including:
- Diabetic nephropathy (diabetes-related kidney damage)
- Hypertensive nephropathy (damage from high blood pressure)
- Glomerulonephritis
- Kidney stones
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Repeated urinary tract infections
- Lupus nephritis
Symptoms to take seriously
Early CKD often has no obvious symptoms, which is why routine screening matters. As kidney function declines, watch for:
- Fatigue and weakness — waste products build up in the blood, and anemia can develop
- Swelling in the hands, feet, ankles or legs from fluid retention
- Changes in urination — more or less than usual; cloudy, foamy or dark urine; sometimes blood
- Shortness of breath as fluid builds up in the lungs
- High blood pressure that becomes harder to control
- Itchy, dry skin, nausea, loss of appetite and weight loss
- Muscle cramps and twitches from calcium and phosphorus imbalances
The five stages of CKD
CKD is staged by your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) — how much blood your kidneys filter per minute:
- Stage 1 — GFR 90+; kidneys near normal, usually no symptoms
- Stage 2 — GFR 60–89; mild damage, subtle or no symptoms
- Stage 3 — GFR 30–59; noticeable fatigue and swelling begin
- Stage 4 — GFR 15–29; serious symptoms, blood pressure and bone problems
- Stage 5 — GFR below 15; kidney failure — dialysis or transplant may be needed
The earlier CKD is caught, the more can be done to slow it.
Treatment options at primary care
- Medications to control blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, and to remove excess fluid
- Diet changes — less sodium, appropriate protein, kidney-friendly eating
- Ongoing monitoring of your GFR, urine protein and electrolytes
- Specialist referral when dialysis or transplant evaluation becomes necessary
Because Dr. Azmir is both a primary care doctor and a nephrologist, your kidney health is checked at every routine visit — not only after something goes wrong.
Concerned about your kidneys?
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease, ask for a kidney screening. Call (718) 975-8702 or book an appointment online — walk-ins welcome at 123 Church Ave, Brooklyn.