The 3 Most Important Calculators Every CKD Patient Should Use
Three essential tools to help you understand, track, and take control of your kidney and heart health.
When you live with chronic kidney disease (CKD), knowledge is power — and numbers tell a big part of your story. Tracking and understanding your kidney function, heart health, and disease progression can help you take control and make informed decisions alongside your healthcare team.
Here are three essential calculators that every person with CKD should know about and use regularly
1️⃣ eGFR Calculator — Know Your Kidney Function
📍 National Kidney Foundation eGFR Calculator
Your eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) is the key number used to measure kidney function.
By entering your creatinine level, age, sex, and race, you can instantly find your eGFR and determine your CKD stage.
Why it matters:
Your eGFR tells you how well your kidneys are filtering waste and helps track whether your condition is stable, improving, or declining. Monitoring this number regularly helps you and your doctor detect changes early.
See at National Kidney Foundation eGFR Calculator
2️⃣ Heart Disease Risk Calculator — Because Heart Health = Kidney Health
People with CKD have a significantly higher risk of heart disease — in fact, cardiovascular issues are the main cause of complications among CKD patients.
This tool, created by the American Heart Association, estimates your 10-year and lifetime risk of developing heart disease based on factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking.
Why it matters:
Understanding your heart risk helps guide lifestyle changes and treatments that protect both your heart and your kidneys.
See at AHA ASCVD Risk Estimator
3️⃣ eGFR Slope Calculator — Track Your Kidney Function Over Time (MetaSano App)
Inside the MetaSano app, you can record your eGFR test results and instantly see your eGFR slope — a powerful way to visualize how your kidney function is changing over time.
The dashboard shows:
Current eGFR
Annual Progress (positive or negative trend)
CKD Stage and community comparison
If your slope is improving, that means your kidneys are stable or even recovering.
If it’s declining, you and your care team can act quickly to adjust habits, diet, or medications.
Why it matters:
This feature turns your lab results into actionable insights — helping you stay motivated and empowered to slow or stop disease progression.
Download the app at metasano.com and click on the dashboard tab (if you already have the app installed, update to the latest version).
Takeaway
Managing CKD isn’t just about following medical advice — it’s about understanding your own data and taking an active role in your health journey.
These three tools — the eGFR calculator, the heart risk estimator, and the MetaSano slope tracker — can help you see the bigger picture and make smarter choices every day.
With care,
Ewerton Lopes - Living with CKD since 2016
CEO of MetaSano
Integrative Nutrition Specialist
Kidney Health Coach
Member of the Quebec Nephrology Society
Gerontologist
Author of the book My Dog, My Healer: My path to overcoming chronic kidney disease
Not using MetaSano yet?
MetaSano is an app designed for stage 3 and 4 kidney patients, offering personalized guidance on which foods to eat based on lab results, comorbidities, medications, allergies, and individual health profiles.
👉 Download MetaSano now
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