DIABETES AND KIDNEY DISEASE
Diabetes mellitus is a disease when there is insufficient insulin in the body or there is resistance to its action. In India, more than 70 million people are suffering from Diabetes.
People with uncontrolled blood sugars are at a very high risk of developing complications like heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, poor vision, damage to nerves, infection related complications and many others.
Dr. Lovy is the Best Diabetic kidney disease Doctor – which is defined by either elevated protein in urine OR reduced kidney function (ie GFR) OR both, occurs in about 30% patients who have diabetes. This disease burden is huge, considering the fact that India ranks second in the global diabetes epidemic.
What are the risk factors of developing diabetic kidney disease?
A. Genetics
Patients with a sibling or parent who has diabetic nephropathy are more likely to themselves compared to those who do not have such a family history.
B. Blood Pressure
Patients with uncontrolled blood pressure have a high risk of developing kidney dysfunction.
C. Blood sugar control
Those with poorly controlled blood sugar are at a high risk of worsening of kidney functions.
D. Smoking
Smoking has been found to be associated with increased risk of albuminuria (protein leakage in urine).
E. Retinopathy
Patients who have retina involvement due to diabetes are very likely to have kidney dysfunction as well.
Signs and Symptoms
Patients with early diabetic kidney disease may have no symptoms early on. Symptoms generally appear when more than 75% kidney function is lost.
Earliest abnormality in DKD is leakage of protein (albumin) in the urine. Normal kidneys take up whatever little protein gets into the urine. When the kidneys aren’t functioning well, the protein leaks out into the urine.
Patients with this problem may also have co-existing high blood pressure.
Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease
A. Lifestyle measures
An important aspect of managing diabetes and its complications is lifestyle management. These changes are actually for everyone to follow, but are specially important for patients with DKD.
-Low salt intake
-Regular exercise
-Quit smoking
B. Blood sugar control
Good sugar control goes a long way in preventing complications of diabetes including kidney disease, heart disease, vision preservation and nerve health.
C. Blood pressure control
Control of BP is important for preventing kidney disease as well as slowing progression of kidney damage. Certain medications like ACEIs and ARBs are particularly helpful in patients with DKD. They help by reducing protein leakage in urine and may slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease.