DaVita Espanol

DaVita.com > Kidney disease education > Overview > Kidney Failure

Advertisement

Kidney failure

Also called: renal failure, end stage renal disease, ESRD, Stage 5 chronic kidney disease

Kidney failure means that kidneys have failed and no longer work well enough to keep someone alive without dialysis or a kidney transplant. The word renal refers to kidneys, so you may see both of these words used. Therefore, kidney failure and renal failure mean the same thing—your kidney function is below 10% to 15% and you need renal replacement therapy to stay alive.

For most people kidney failure occurs after years of having chronic kidney disease. Your doctor may use the phrase end stage renal disease (ESRD) or Stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) to indicate kidney failure. This is because chronic kidney disease has been divided into five stages by the National Kidney Foundation, so kidney failure is also called end stage or Stage 5.

Related articles on DaVita.com

External links

Organizations

Learn more about Overview

Find a Dialysis Center

Advanced Search »

Call 1-800-424-6589 now to talk to one of our placement specialists.

DaVita Cooking Collections

Download a complimentary cookbook of kidney-friendly recipes.

Get Cooking

Get Kidney SmartSM

Find an instructor-led kidney disease education class near you.

Find Classes

Manage Your Health Like Never Before

The new myDaVita.com is the online resource to help you understand and manage your kidney care.

Sign In

Recipe Alerts-
Sign Up

Receive a monthly newsletter with our newest kidney-friendly recipes.

Sign Up Today

Advertisement

DaVita

© 2004-2013 DaVita Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy of medical information | Web Privacy Policy | FAQs | Site map | Advertise with us
This site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a physician.
Please check with a physician if you need a diagnosis and/or for treatments as well as information regarding your specific condition. If you are experiencing urgent medical conditions, call 9-1-1

116