The nurse practitioner is monitoring a 69-year-old with hypertension and diabetes in a primary care clinic. The patient’s GFR has been 50-55 for the past 6 months

D Question 25 The nurse practitioner is monitoring a 69-year-old with hypertension and diabetes in a primary care clinic. The patient’s GFR has been 50-55 for the past 6 months. What stage of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is this? • Stage 1 • Stage 2 • Stage 3 • Stage 4

In the scenario presented, where a 69-year-old patient has a GFR (glomerular filtration rate) consistently between 50-55 mL/min over the past six months, this indicates that the patient is in Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

CKD Staging Overview:
Stage 1: GFR ≥ 90 mL/min with kidney damage.
Stage 2: GFR 60-89 mL/min with kidney damage.
Stage 3: GFR 30-59 mL/min (divided into 3a: 45-59 mL/min and 3b: 30-44 mL/min).
Stage 4: GFR 15-29 mL/min.
Stage 5: GFR < 15 mL/min or requiring dialysis.
Since a GFR of 50-55 mL/min falls within the range for Stage 3, the appropriate classification for this patient’s CKD is Stage 3. This stage is significant as it often necessitates monitoring and management of comorbid conditions such as hypertension and diabetes to slow the progression of kidney diseaseation about the stages of CKD, you can visit resources such as the National Kidney Foundation or the American Kidney Fund.