Diabetes represents the commonest cause of
kidney failure in the Western World.
Normal functioning
kidneys which are made up of tiny filtration units filter the blood and remove
toxic waste products and which is excreted as urine.
Patients with diabetes sometimes develop damage to their
kidneys due to persistently
high blood sugar levels. The result is that the
kidneys become less able to excrete the excess
toxic waste products of metabolism and any excess water.
This in turn results in the patient feeling tired, nauseated and fluid overloaded. A simple
blood and
urine test can identify the level of
toxic waste and indicate
nephropathy.
Diabetic Nephropathy is a very specific form of
kidney disease which goes through many stages before it leads to end stage
renal failure requiring
dialysis or
a kidney transplants. The development of
nephropathy can be identified at an early stage even before any abnormality appears in the blood test. This is done by analyzing
urine protein content and if present patients can be treated with medication.
This has proved highly effective both in the prevention of
kidney disease and in the stabilization of established
kidney impairment. It is essential therefore that analysis of
kidney function forms part of the routine and regular follow up of diabetes patients.
http://www.kidney.org.uk