Diabetic Nephropathy

About

Diabetes mellitus, usually called diabetes, occurs when a person's body does not make enough insulin or when the body cannot use normal amounts of insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. High blood sugar levels can cause problems in many parts of the body, including a person's kidneys. Diabetic nephropathy (also known as diabetic kidney disease) refers to the ongoing kidney damage that can occur with the onset of diabetes and its accompanying high blood sugar levels. Specifically, diabetes may damage the blood vessels to the kidneys.

Typically, the first signs of diabetic nephropathy are the susceptibility to kidney injury from reduced blood flow and the presence of a protein called albumin in the urine. As the disease progresses, a person's kidneys cannot clean blood properly, and waste products such as urea, toxins, acid excretion and potassium can build up in the body. Consequently, patients with this condition may retain more water and salt in their bodies and can experience weight gain, ankle swelling, fatigue and loss of appetite.

Approximately 50 percent of patients with diabetes will develop diabetic nephropathy. Patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at risk for developing this condition. Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal (kidney) disease, resulting in the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation. Patients at all stages of diabetic nephropathy have a significantly increased risk of developing and dying prematurely from heart disease. Therefore, it is very important for patients with diabetes to have their kidney function tested and monitored to prevent the progression of nephropathy and reduce the risk for developing heart disease.

Patients with diabetes who have other conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and anemia are at risk for developing kidney damage. Obesity and smoking also increase the risk for kidney damage in patients with diabetes.