Diabetes Kidney – Preventing Kidney Disease In Diabetics
16 April, 2010 
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Abnormally high blood sugar level for a prolonged period could damage several organs of your body including the kidneys. Diabetes increases the risk of kidney diseases. According to the United States Renal Data System, approximately 44 percent of kidney failure patients are diabetics. Kidney diseases develop gradually in diabetics. To prevent chronic kidney disease, which might eventually lead to kidney failure, you should keep your blood sugar level under control.
Diabetes kidney – risk of kidney disease
The excess blood sugar in the blood forces your kidney to increase its filtering activity. In the initial years of the diabetes, your kidney will filter abnormally high levels of blood. Gradually overtime, the kidneys will be weakened by the excess workload, leading to kidney diseases. If you fail to normalize your blood sugar level and treat the diseased kidneys at an early stage, your kidneys will lose their filtering function. Kidney diseases rarely develop in the early stage of diabetes. It may take about 15 to 25 years for the symptoms of kidney disease to appear. The risk of developing kidney disease increases if hypertension occurs along with diabetes.
Symptoms of kidney disease in diabetics
There is hardly any specific symptom of kidney disease in the early stage of the illness. Fluid buildup or edema is a prominent symptom of kidney malfunction. Diabetics with diseased kidneys might even experience fatigue, loss of appetite, sleeping difficulties and poor concentration. Laboratory tests will confirm that the albumin level in the urine is high.
Preventing kidney disease in diabetics
Controlling your blood sugar level with diet, exercise and medications is the best option for keeping your kidneys in good health. It is even imperative to monitor your blood pressure level. Abnormally high blood pressure level could worsen the condition of diseased kidneys. Blood pressure medications are prescribed for arresting further progression of kidney diseases. Besides eliminating foods with high glycemic index from the regular diet, diabetics with kidney diseases should limit salt intake. To prevent further damage of the diseased kidneys, your diet should contain moderate amounts of protein. Regular screening for kidney diseases could prevent chronic kidney disease and kidney failure in diabetics.
