What happens if gfr is too high

Later stage CKD does cause symptoms. So you may need an eGFR test if you have any of the following symptoms:. There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. You may need to fast not eat or drink or avoid certain foods for several hours before the test. Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow.

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. Get your kidneys checked at least every year.

Your healthcare team will do a simple blood test to find out your eGFR. They will also do a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio UACR , which shows if you have protein albumin in the urine. Protein in the urine may mean you have kidney damage. Control blood pressure if you have high blood pressure.

Control blood sugar if you have diabetes. If you have CKD, tell your healthcare team before having any test that uses contrast dye. Do not smoke. Exercise and follow a healthy diet that's low in sodium, saturated fat, and sugar, but high in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and poultry. The GFR test can indicate how well your kidneys are functioning. Your doctor may order the test if you have symptoms related to kidney disease or if they want to test the effectiveness of a particular treatment.

According to the American Association for Clinical Chemistry , examples of kidney disease symptoms include:. Early intervention is vital to preventing further kidney damage. If you have a family history of kidney disease, your doctor may want to run a GFR test to get a sense of the current state of your kidneys.

A blood sample will be taken by drawing blood from your arm. This is why the GFR test is an indirect measurement of how well your kidneys may be functioning. Your doctor can use your GFR to determine the level of kidney damage you have. This is also known as the stage of your kidney damage.

The NKF states that the stages of kidney damage are:. Your doctor will likely recommend taking your GFR over the course of several months to establish a pattern.

Certain medications can affect your creatinine levels. For help making sense of your lab values, click here. Read more about Chronic Kidney Disease. Skip to main content. What is CKD? What is chronic kidney disease CKD? A unique kidney disease patient registry that will advance patient education and kidney disease treatment. Join Now.

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