|
Tips to Stop Diabetic Kidney
Damage
Persistently high blood glucose (sugar) can damage the kidneys
and lead to a condition called nephropathy. About a quarter of people with diabetes
may develop nephropathy. If detected early, the condition can be treated successfully.
What causes Diabetic Nephropathy?
The kidney is effectively
one large filter for the body and has the job of removing waste products from
the blood. As blood flows through the blood vessels within the kidneys, waste
products filter out through small holes in the blood vessels. The waste becomes
a part of the urine. Useful substances such as protein are too big to filter through
and thus stay in the blood.
High blood glucose levels (sugar) lead to
the kidneys filtering too much blood. The result of this is that the blood vessels
walls become thickened and form leaks. The kidneys are unable to filter waste
products out of the blood into the urine properly and useful substances such as
protein are lost in the urine.
Symptoms of Diabetic Nephropathy
There are no obvious symptoms of nephropathy in the early stages. This makes
regular testing very important to detect the condition. If left untreated, the
body will lose a lot of protein in the urine and this can lead to water retention
or oedema, especially around the
ankles. Eventually the condition may result
in the kidneys being unable to remove waste products from the body.
In
such a situation you would need dialysis or a transplant.
Testing for nephropathy
can often be done using a urine dipstick such as Albustix,
which will show if there is any protein present in the urine. How you
can prevent this damage
The best way to prevent nephropathy is by
keeping a tight control of your blood glucose levels and your blood pressure.
High blood pressure has a big effect on the kidneys and can exacerbate or contribute
to nephropathy. Monitoring
your blood glucose and blood pressure will help you spot when your
levels are too high and allow you to take action.
Treatment of
Diabetic Nephropathy
Treatment of nephropathy usually involves dietary
changes, restricting the amount of protein in the diet, and controlling high blood
pressure, which can worsen the problem. Treatment may also
involve taking medicines
such as ACE inhibitors. In worse case scenarios dialysis or transplant may be
needed. The most important thing to remember is to make sure you have your
urine tested for protein at least once a year. Now you've read this article
check out our article on diabetes
and blood pressure. As mentioned earlier, high blood
pressure can damage the kidneys so it is an important article to read. Related
Articles | 
