Diabetic Kidney Disease is kidney damage that occurs as a result of Diabetes,
which may cause illness and even death for diabetics in some cases. However, not
each of persons with Diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease, and people in
the following conditions are more prone to get affected by CKD:
▪ Persons are of African American, Hispanic or Native and Alaskan American
origin
▪ Have a family history of kidney disease or hypertension (high blood
pressure)
▪ Bad control of the levels of blood sugar
▪ Affected by Type 1 Diabetes before 20 years old
▪ A smoker
How do You Develop Kidney Disease with Diabetes?
Each of the kidneys contain approximately one million nephrons that remove
waste products and excess water out of the blood. These nephrons function to
help regulate water, salts, glucose, urea, phosphorus and other minerals.
In the beginning, they kidneys may show increased filtration rate for certain
period of time, as the presence of glucose increases the amount of filtrates
that pass through the renal functional units-glomeruli. So, more protein can be
released through the glomerular basement membrane, resulting in small amounts of
protein in the urine.
Due to the damage of membrane caused by the filtered protein, there are more
loss of protein in the urine and more kidney damage. Ultimately, large amounts
of protein get lost in the urine and renal function begins to deteriorate.
Diabetes is one of the most common causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Besides, kidney damage can be brought about by increase tendency of
atherosclerosis in Diabetes. With an increase blood fats levels depositing in
the blood vessels walls, the blood supply to the kidneys can be affected. Kidney
damage can be the result of diminished blood flow.
How to prevent kidney disease for persons with Diabetes? Kidney damage may be
halted or slowed down if blood sugar is kept in good range. Meanwhile, people
are suggested to take standard treatment for the disease.