Stage 3 kidney disease life expectancy varies widely, with many living 10-20+ years or more, especially if younger and well-managed, though it's heavily influenced by age, underlying conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure), and treatment adherence, with some studies suggesting a 40-year-old might have 24+ years but older adults potentially facing shorter expectancy, as about half of patients progress to later stages within a decade.
At 60 years of age, the average life expectancy is: 13.6 years for males with stage 3a CKD. 16.5 years for females with stage 3a CKD. 7.8 years for males with stage 3b CKD.
In stage 3b CKD, you are at high risk for your CKD getting worse and you are at high risk for heart disease (even if your uACR is lower than 30). As your uACR number goes up, your risks of developing heart disease and CKD progression (worsening) both go up to the highest risk category (as seen in the figure below).
Chronic kidney disease usually progresses slowly. Regular blood and urine tests can help doctors to decide whether the kidneys are still working well enough, whether the treatment needs to be adjusted, or whether dialysis will be needed soon, for example.
Doctors treat Stage 3 CKD with medicines that help with your symptoms and related health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Fluid retention, swelling (edema) of extremities and shortness of breath: Urination changes (foamy; dark orange, brown, tea-colored or red if it contains blood; and urinating more or less than normal) Kidney pain felt in their back. Sleep problems due to muscle cramps or restless legs.
Stage 3 kidney disease means that the kidney's function has been cut by half, and most patients experience ancillary problems like high blood pressure or bone difficulties. A survey of 13 studies on stage 3 kidney disease found that the all-cause mortality rate varied from 6% in 3 years to 51% in ten years.
While complete reversal is rare, you can often slow progression and even improve kidney function with proper care. The key is catching and treating CKD stage 3 early. Many patients remain at stage 3 for years with good management.
When chronic kidney disease becomes advanced, loss of kidney function can cause:
In the general population, approximately 38% of adults aged 70 or older have an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, with most having moderate reductions in eGFR in the 30-59 ml/min/1.73 m2 range (1).
8 Diet and Nutrition Goals for People with Stage 3 Chronic Kidney...
Sleep disorders, are common in people with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease. In addition to insomnia, sleep-disordered breathing, excessive sleepiness, and restless leg syndrome many have a high incidence of sleep apnea and periodic limb movements in sleep.
Conclusions: About half of the patients with stage 3 CKD progressed to stage 4 or 5, as assessed by eGFR, over 10 years.
In stage 3a CKD, you are at increased risk for your CKD getting worse and you are at risk for heart disease (even if your uACR is lower than 30). As your uACR number goes up, your risks of developing heart disease and CKD progression (worsening) both go up dramatically (as seen in the figure below).
The top 10 drugs commonly linked to kidney damage
The protein recommendation for CKD stage 3 is 0.55-0.6 grams of protein per day per kilogram body weight if you do not have diabetes.
For someone around 60, stage 1 stage 2 kidney disease life expectancy will be approximately 15 years. That figure falls to 13 years, 8 years, and 6 years in the second, third, and fourth stages of kidney disease, respectively.
You feel kidney pain near the middle of your back, just under your ribcage, on each side of your spine where your kidneys are. Your kidneys are part of the urinary tract, the organs that make and remove urine from the body. (pee). You may feel kidney pain on one or both sides of your back.
Certain factors increase the risk that chronic kidney disease will progress more quickly to end-stage renal disease, including: Diabetes with poor blood sugar control. Kidney disease that affects the glomeruli, the structures in the kidneys that filter wastes from the blood. Polycystic kidney disease.
If you have early stage CKD (stages 1 to 3), your GP may prescribe medication such as SGLT2 inhibitors to help maintain your kidney function. It is important to always tell your pharmacist that you have CKD as some medications for other conditions may harm your kidneys and could make your CKD worse.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the top culprits damaging kidneys most, as they harm the delicate filtering blood vessels, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and failure; other major factors include smoking, obesity, dehydration, poor diet (high sugar/salt/red meat), certain medications (NSAIDs), lack of sleep, and genetic conditions. These factors create a cycle where damaged kidneys worsen blood pressure, further damaging them.
You need dialysis when you develop end stage kidney failure, usually by the time you lose about 85 to 90 percent of your kidney function and have a GFR of <15.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Personal Independence Payment provides help for people with a long-term health condition or disability. This may include kidney disease, depending on your specific circumstances. Personal Independence Payment is not means-tested and can be paid whether you are working or not.
Overall, 36.1% of older adults in the US have stage 3 or greater CKD as defined by eGFR values. Among older adults with stage 3 CKD, 80.6% had creatinine values ≤1.5 mg/dl, and 38.6% had creatinine values ≤1.2 mg/dl.
Medicines that may need to be avoided, adjusted, or changed include: