Do you know that India ranks second in the world for people suffering from diabetes? The number of diabetic patients is on the rise. One in six people has diabetes. But diabetes alone isn’t the silent killer.
Diabetes brings with it many other associated health complications. As a nephrologist in Vadodara, I see many cases that suffer from kidney disease only due to diabetes. In medical terms, it is called ‘diabetic kidney disease’.
As a nephrologist in Vadodara, I work with Janvi Multispeciality hospital. It offers various sub-specialties but I work in the Kidney care department. The reason why I am writing this to you today is that I want to make you aware of diabetic kidney disease, its progression, and the precautions you need to take.
Diabetic kidney disease can be fatal and thus as the best kidney care hospital in Vadodara, I am here to guide you about it. I and my team would gladly like to answer your questions. So in case of any doubt, you can ask us in the comment section or follow us on Instagram or FB, and comment there. We’ll try to answer all your questions.
Let’s proceed with our discussion about diabetic kidney disease.
What Is Diabetic Kidney Disease?
High sugar content in the blood damages the nerves. If the blood vessels in the kidneys are injured, the kidneys are unable to remove the waste material from our bodies.
As a result of this, the bladder remains full, causing various infections, weight gain, and swelling on the legs. The body retains more water and salt. The urine of a diabetic patient contains a high amount of urine and as a result, it damages the kidneys.
If you are having diabetes and are worried about kidney disease then as a nephrologist in Vadodara, I would advise you to get your sample analyzed.
Our urine contains albumin. The presence of albumin in the urine can be indicative of kidney disease. Depending on the level of albumin found in the urine, diabetic kidney disease can be classified into two parts.
Microalbuminuria: In medical terms, we refer to it as incipient nephropathy. In this condition, the albumin present in the urine is between 30 to 300 mg per day.
Proteinuria: It is referred to as albuminuria or overt nephropathy. In this condition, the quantity of albumin found in urine is more than 300 mg per day.
Diabetes can cause many problems and ultimately, as a result of diabetes people develop kidney problems. This is what we have observed at our kidney hospital in Vadodara.
Do Diabetic Kidney Disease And Diabetic Nephropathy Mean The Same Thing?
Yes! Diabetic kidney disease is referred to as diabetic nephropathy in medical terms.
What Is The Difference Between Diabetic Kidney Disease And Chronic Kidney Disease?
The kidney filtration rate is measured by ‘Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate’ abbreviated as eGFR. It calculates the creatinine present in the body. It shows how well your kidneys are filtering.
Creatinine is a waste product. It is formed due to the digestion of dietary protein and the normal breakdown of muscle tissue. Various factors can affect the formation of creatinine such as diet, muscle mass, malnutrition, and other chronic illnesses.
As Diabetic kidney disease progresses slowly and with time can become chronic. Hence, it is referred to as chronic kidney disease. The problem with diabetic kidney disease is that it does not show up early.
Hence as a kidney care hospital in Vadodara, we always advise our diabetic patients to do blood tests and urine tests at stipulated intervals to stay informed about the progression of the disease.
You should typically get eGFR levels checked if you have:
- Having diabetes or high blood pressure
- High blood pressure
- Being overweight
- Family history of kidney failure
- Urinating more or less often than usual
- Itching
- Feeling tired
- Swelling in your arms, legs, or feet
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
eGFR can be a guiding factor for classifying kidney disease to be chronic kidney disease.
However, with age, there is bound to be a slight change in what is considered to be a ‘normal’ range.
The average eGFR levels change with age and they are considered to be normal.
Age (years) | Average eGFR |
20-29 | 116 |
30-39 | 107 |
40-49 | 99 |
50-59 | 93 |
60-69 | 85 |
70+ | 75 |
Can You Have Kidney Disease Without Being Diabetic?
Diabetes is one of the causes of kidney disease. However, as a kidney hospital in Vadodara, we often see patients who have issues with the kidney even if they don’t have diabetes.
Apart from diabetes, there can be other causes of kidney diseases such as:
- Recurrent kidney infections
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Obstructions in the urinary tract
- Inflammation in the filtering units of the kidney
- Vesicoureteral issues
How Are Obesity And Diabetic Kidney Diseases Related?
Obesity leads to various problems. When you weigh more, your kidneys require more effort to move the wastes out of your body. This causes immense pressure on them and in turn kidney diseases.
As a kidney care hospital in Vadodara, people often ask us about risk factors for kidney diseases. Sometimes it can be hereditary and cause problems to you for no fault of yours. Still, here are some risk factors that you should consider if you are worried about kidney diseases.
What Makes You Prone To Diabetic Kidney Disease?
Factors that make you prone to the risk of chronic kidney disease include:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart (cardiovascular) disease
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Family history of kidney disease
- Abnormal kidney structure
- Age factor
- Frequent use of medications or taking OTC medicines for pain can damage the kidneys
How Is Diabetic Kidney Disease Diagnosed?
At our kidney hospital in Vadodara, we ask our diabetic patients to do routine blood tests and urine tests at regular intervals so that if there is any problem with the kidneys then the treatment can be started soon.
We ask the patients to undergo urine tests and blood tests to check the presence of proteins and creatinine in them. The level of creatinine guides us about the progress of kidney disease.
What Does The Blood Test For A Diabetic Kidney Disease Reveal?
The blood test and urine test reveal the functioning of your kidney. We especially look for the creatinine levels and the presence of proteins in the urine. The blood test that we commonly recommend to screen the kidneys is eGFR.
What Are The Symptoms Of Diabetic Kidney Disease?
The worst part about diabetic kidney disease is that you won’t notice any symptoms until the problem worsens. So the best way is to get tested periodically to detect the problem early.
Following are some symptoms that you might notice if you have the problem of diabetic kidney disease.
- Worsening blood pressure control
- Protein in the urine (detected through tests)
- Swelling of feet, ankles, hands, or eyes
- Increased urge to urinate
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent itching
- Fatigue
What Are The Stages Of Diabetic Kidney Disease?
The stages of diabetic kidney disease can be judged by looking at the eGFR levels.
Stage | Description | eGFR | Kidney Function |
1 | Possible kidney damage (e.g. protein in the urine) with normal kidney function | 90 or above | 90-100% |
2 | Kidney damage with mild loss of kidney function | 60-89 | 60-89% |
3a | Mild to moderate loss of kidney function | 45-59 | 45-59% |
3b | Moderate to a severe loss of kidney function | 30-44 | 30-44% |
4 | Severe loss of kidney function | 15-29 | 15-29% |
5 | Kidney failure | Less than 15 | Less than 15% |
Having understood the causes, symptoms, and risk factors, let us now turn our discussion to recovery from it.
How Can Diabetic Kidney Disease Be Managed?
The first step in managing diabetic kidney disease is to keep your sugar under control. So you should aim for a healthy body weight and eat a diet that suits your kidneys.
In general, you must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Control your blood pressure
- Keep sugar under control
- Do medical reports at regular intervals
- Avoid OTC medicines
- Take medicines as prescribed
- Develop a meal plan that suits you
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
- Get enough sleep
- Stop smoking
- Find ways to deal with stress and depression
What Is The Treatment For Diabetic Kidney Disease?
In acute kidney injury, we need to shift the patient to CRRT. If the problem can be resolved with tablets then we prescribe medicines else dialysis is needed to treat diabetic kidney disease.
How Fast Does Diabetic Kidney Disease Progress?
Un-diagnosed diabetes can be the main reason for kidney disease. Along with that certain other factors are also responsible but they aren’t conclusive.
- Acute kidney injury (AKI)
- Smoking
- Male sex is more prone to it
- Treatment with dual RAS blockades
- Low hemoglobin levels (<13 g/dL)
What Kinds Of Food And Nutrition Should A Patient With Diabetes Have?
Diet plays a significant role in diabetic kidney disease. As a nephrologist in Vadodara, I advise my patients to eat a diet that is:
- Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- A diet that are low in cholesterol, saturated fats, sugar, and preservatives
- Limit sodium to 1500 mg/day to help control blood pressure
Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1/4 cup (30g) Servings Per Container About 38 | ||
Amount Per Serving Calories 200 Calories from Fat 150 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat Saturated Fat Trans Fat | 17g 2.5g 0g | 26% 13% |
Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
Sodium | 120mg | 5% |
Total Carbohydrate Dietary Fiber Sugars | 7g 2g 1g | 2% 8% |
Protein | 5g | |
• Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% • Calcium 4% • Iron 8% | ||
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. | ||
Look for sodium on the food label. A food label showing a Percent Daily Value of 5% or less is low sodium. Also, look for the amount of saturated and trans fats listed on the label.
- No excessive protein (in moderate quantities it is allowed)
- Is low in potassium
Foods Lower in Potassium | Foods Higher in Potassium |
• Apples, peaches • Carrots, green beans • White bread and pasta • White rice • Rice milk (not enriched) • Cooked rice and wheat cereals, grits • Apple, grape, or cranberry juice | • Oranges, bananas, and orange juice • Potatoes, tomatoes • Brown and wild rice • Bran cereals • Dairy foods • Whole-wheat bread and pasta • Beans and nuts |
- Is low in phosphorus
Foods Lower in Phosphorus | Foods Higher in Phosphorus |
• Fresh fruits and vegetables • Bread, pasta, rice • Rice milk (not enriched) • Corn and rice cereals • Light-colored sodas/pop, such as lemon-lime or homemade iced tea | • Meat, poultry, fish • Bran cereals, and oatmeal • Dairy foods • Beans, lentils, nuts • Dark-colored sodas/pop, fruit punch, some bottled or canned iced teas that have added phosphorus |
How To Prevent Diabetic Kidney Disease?
The best way to keep it under control is to avoid OTC medicines, do regular health checkups, keep weight under control, and keep sugar and BP under control.
Can Diabetic Kidney Disease Be Reversed?
No. Unfortunately, it cannot be reversed. The damage once done to the kidney is permanent. So better to take care in advance.
As a kidney care hospital in Vadodara, we would recommend you to stay physically fit, eat healthy food (not junk food), drink water, and get yourself checked for the presence of diabetes if you have a family history of diabetes.
Checking for diabetes periodically can alert you about it and in case you have the disease, you can start taking care of your kidney from the very beginning. Because as I said earlier, if diabetes goes undetected then the patient is unaware of the damage that it is doing to the kidneys.
Patients who are obese, live a sedentary life, and eat junk food are more prone to diabetes. Family history also plays an important role. It is better to play safe in health matters and hence make it a point to do a complete health check-up at least once a year after the age of 40.
If you have any questions then you can ask them in the comments section or on our FB page. We will be glad to answer it. If you like the information provided in this write-up then please try to share it with your friends. This will help to save lives and create awareness. At our Kidney hospital in Vadodara, we conduct preventive checkups for kidneys.
When was the last time you checked for diabetes or did complete body screening tests to stay alert?
Stay Safe, Stay Healthy!
Disclaimer:
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or another qualified clinician.