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Medical Tests
5 min readReviewed Sep 2026

Kidney Function Tests (eGFR and Creatinine), Explained

Quick Answer (TL;DR)

Creatinine is a waste product your kidneys clear. eGFR uses it to estimate how well your kidneys filter, in millilitres per minute.

What It Means

An eGFR of 90 or above is generally normal, and below 60 sustained for three months or more defines chronic kidney disease. A urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio adds information about kidney damage even when eGFR is normal.

Why It Matters for Your Health

Kidney function declines quietly. Catching it early changes medication choices, blood pressure targets and the pace of decline, and reduces cardiovascular risk.

Recommended Biomarker or Metric to Track

Keep eGFR and any urine protein results together over time.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Targeted questions based on latest clinical consensus statements.

1What is my eGFR, and is this a change from before?
2Has my urine been checked for protein?
3Do any of my medications need adjusting?
4What blood pressure target should I aim for?
5How often should this be monitored?
Clinical Sources & Guidelines Cited
NHS - Chronic kidney disease
National Kidney Foundation - Estimated GFR
MedlinePlus - Creatinine blood test

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