Kidney disease, or diabetic nephropathy diabetic
Written by:Kidney disease caused by diabetes is called diabetic nephropathy. It is a chronic and progressive disease that develops in a third of people with diabetes. High blood glucose levels affect small vessels throughout the body and also those that are part of the kidneys. When these small vessels or capillaries are damaged, they do not function properly, affecting their function, filtration. The toxic products can then accumulate in the blood, at the same time that other necessary substances such as proteins are eliminated in the urine in an inappropriate way. If this progresses, we can reach the complete loss of function of the kidneys by stopping the filtration process.
Evolution of the disease
The first specific data that kidney changes are occurring is the presence of a protein called albumin in small amounts in the urine. This alerts us to the possibility that the small blood vessels that feed the kidneys may be damaged if we do not act. There are drugs that can prevent and reverse kidney damage in the early stages.
In addition to diabetes, especially when it is poorly controlled, the risk factors for kidney disease are tobacco, high blood pressure and a family history of kidney disease.
In the early stages of kidney damage, hypertension can be treated, glucose levels can be improved, and specific drugs for diabetic kidney disease can be administered. If kidney damage progresses and renal failure progresses, we may need treatment with techniques to replace the function of our kidneys, such as dialysis and transplantation.
Overweight and sedentary lifestyle are modifiable factors that can clearly influence the onset of diabetes in predisposed people. Therefore, they are two clear factors that can be prevented.
