End Stage Renal Disease

End-stage renal failure, also known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), is the final, permanent stage of chronic kidney disease, where kidney function has declined to the point that the kidneys can no longer function on their own.

Kidney failure is the last (most severe) stage of chronic kidney disease. This is why kidney failure is also called end-stage renal disease, or ESRD for short. Diabetes is the most common cause of ESRD. High blood pressure is the second most common cause of ESRD.

There is no cure for ESRD, but many people live long lives while on dialysis or after having a kidney transplant.

There are only two treatments for ESRD: dialysis and kidney transplant. Dialysis treatment uses a machine to filter waste and extra water from your blood, attempting to replace many important functions of your kidney.

Average life expectancy on dialysis is 5-10 years, however, many patients have lived well on dialysis for 20 or even 30 years. Talk to your healthcare team about how to take care of yourself and stay healthy on dialysis.