TESTING. TESTING.

What tests do doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney disease?

A majority of ReMend Mentors admit they didn't notice any signs of kidney disease when first diagnosed. Many mentioned being fatigued and nauseous. What type of tests do doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney disease?

To check for kidney disease, health care providers use:

• A blood test that checks how well your kidneys are filtering your blood, called GFR. GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is a measure of kidney function and is performed through a blood test. Your GFR will determine what stage of kidney disease you have – there are 5 stages.

GFR results show whether your kidneys are filtering at a normal level.

• A urine test to check for albumin. Albumin is a protein that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged. ACR (Albumin to Creatinine Ratio) is a urine test to see how much albumin (a type of protein) is in your urine. Too much albumin in your urine is an early sign of kidney damage.

If you have kidney disease, your health care provider will use the same two tests to help monitor your kidney disease and make sure your treatment plan is working.

CREDIT:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

National Kidney Foundation