Overview
- Diabetic nephropathy is a serious kidney complication of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. It is also called diabetic kidney disease. About 25% of people with diabetes eventually develop kidney disease.
- Diabetic kidney disease affects your kidneys’ ability to do their usual job of removing waste and excess fluid from your body. The best way to prevent or delay diabetic kidney disease is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to treat your diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Over many years, the disease slowly damages the delicate filtering system of your kidneys. Early treatment can prevent or slow the progression of the disease and reduce the risk of complications. Diabetic nephropathy treatment in Hyderabad
Symptom
In the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, you may not notice any signs or symptoms. In later stages, signs and symptoms include:
- Worsening of blood pressure control
- Protein in urine
- Swelling of the feet, ankles, hands or eyes
- Increased need to urinate
- Reduced need for insulin or diabetes medication
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Shortness of breath
The causes
Diabetic nephropathy occurs when diabetes damages the blood vessels and other cells in your kidneys.
Risk factors
Your risk for diabetic kidney disease is higher if you have type 1 or 2 diabetes. Several other factors can increase your risk for diabetic kidney disease, including:
- Poorly controlled high blood sugar level (hyperglycaemia)
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Be a smoker
- High blood cholesterol
Complications
Complications of diabetic nephropathy can develop gradually over months or years. They may include:
- Fluid retention, which can lead to swelling of the arms and legs, high blood pressure or fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
- An increase in the level of potassium in your blood (hyperkalaemia)
- Disease of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), which can lead to a stroke
- Damage to the blood vessels in the retina (diabetic retinopathy)
- Anemia
Prevention
To reduce your risk of developing diabetic kidney disease:
Treat your diabetes. With effective treatment for diabetes, you can prevent or delay diabetic kidney disease.
Manage high blood pressure or other medical conditions. If you have high blood pressure or other conditions that increase your risk for kidney disease, work with your doctor to control them. Ask your doctor for tests to look for signs of kidney damage. Diabetic nephropathy treatment in Hyderabad