A blood test. The most important blood test for kidney disease is called creatinine. This measures the levels of a waste product called creatinine in your blood. It is normally 60-120 mcmol/L. You may have CKD if your level is higher than this.
Your doctor uses your blood test result – plus your age, size, gender and ethnic group – to calculate how many millilitres of waste your kidneys should be able to filter in a minute. This calculation is known as your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Healthy kidneys should be able to filter more than 90ml/min. You may have CKD if your rate is lower than this.
‘Big three’ key investigations
In fact, in CKD, there are three vital tests, including the ones so far mentioned. They are:
- Creatinine/eGFR. Described above, and the most important one
- Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR)
- Renal (kidney) ultrasound.
