Getting Kidney Failure From Diabetes

After being diagnosed with diabetes, there is a high chance, though not 100%, that kidney failure will follow close by. Before the full fledge kidney failure, there'll be five stages that the patient will go through. The 5 stages are briefly discussed below.

Stage 1: Hyperfiltration

Initially, when you are first down with diabetes, your kidneys will start to enlarge. Due to the enlargement, they seem to function abnormally well. They start to clean wastes from your body at a faster speed. This is caused by a large amount of glucose entering the kidneys, which draws a large amount of water with it. There is an increase in the flow of blood through the glomeruli, causing the kidneys to enlarge.

When the first stage happens, it quickly advances to the next stage. Most patients that are first diagnosed with diabetes would already find themselves in the next stage.

Stage 2: Microalbuminuria

Signs of damage start to show on the glomeruli, while the rate of filtration stays high. The damage allows small amounts of albumin, which is a type of protein in the blood to leak into the urine. Initially, the traditional urine dipstick will be unable to trigger a positive test when the amount of albumin is not sufficient. A more sophisticated test for microalbumin must be performed, in order to give a proper report of the patient.

Stage 3: Proteinuria

As the third stage is reached, the glomeruli gets more and more damaged, leaking even more albumin into the urine. This would reduce the body's ability to filter waste. This can cause the blood levels of two components of the blood to rise. They are known as creatinine and urea.

Stage 4: Advance clinical nephropathy

At this stage, blood cannot be filtered by the damaged kidneys. The urine now contains large amounts of leak protein. The two blood components discussed in stage 3, Creatinines and urea in the blood increases as well. The patient is most likely to be diagnosed with hypertension at this stage.

Stage 5: End stage ranal failure

Signs and symptoms of kidney failure start to show as the kidney function drops to 5 or 10% below its ideal level. This cannot be cured, and the only options are dialysis or kidney transplant.

To prevent diabetes kidney problems, the following means can be done:

Keep your glucose level in tab. Visit your doctor about your HbA1c test, and what the goal for the glucose level to be kept under control to be.

Keep your blood pressure in control, and take frequent checks. The level should be 130/85 mmHg or lower.

Urine should be tested for small amount of proteins to identify the leakage. This kidney check should be done at least once a year.

You can suggest to your doctor about being placed on an ACE inhibitor to protect your kidneys.

If you think you have a bladder or kidney infection, visit your doctor immediately.