Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in the developed world, says the nephrologist in Delhi.
The diabetes characterized disease excess blood glucose can affect various organs of the body including the kidneys (diabetic nephropathy) or eyes (diabetic retinopathy). Good diabetes control can prevent, delay or reduce the appearance of these and other complications of the disease, explains the nephrologist in Noida.
The constant maintenance of high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood causes an alteration in the wall of the arteries. Consequently, the blood does not reach the tissues correctly and this results in a disorder in the structure and function of different organs of the body.
The mechanism by which excess glucose affects the arteries is very complex. On the one hand, the wall of the arteries is made up of proteins. Glucose tends to bind to these proteins and this phenomenon, in the long run, can deconstruct the arterial wall. On the other hand, the insulin deficit of diabetes itself means that the transformation of glucose for energy is carried out through a specific type of metabolic pathway. Therefore, the body accumulates a series of substances that can also cause alterations in the walls of the arteries.
The occurrence of complications in a diabetic person also depends on their personal susceptibility to changes caused by elevated glucose levels.
According to the nephrologist in Gurgaon, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in the developed world and accounts for approximately 35-40% of new cases of kidney failure each year. It is important to know that:
– The development of early stages of diabetic nephropathy is common.
During life, around 50% of people with type 1 diabetes develop microalbuminuria – presence of albumin protein in the urine, which is a deterioration indicator of renal function.
– Approximately 20% of people with type 1 diabetes develop kidney failure.
In Caucasian people with type 2 diabetes, between 5 and 10% develop chronic end-stage renal failure (IRCT), while among non-Caucasians the proportion is even higher.
Diabetic renal failure is the most common cause of admission to renal replacement, dialysis or transplantation programs, in most countries of the world, says the kidney specialist in Noida.
In India about one third of people with end-stage chronic renal failure suffer from diabetes. It is estimated that this population will grow at an annual rate of 8%.
– Up to 40% of new cases of IRCT can be attributed to diabetes.
The risk of IRCT is 12 times higher in people with type 1 diabetes compared to those with type 2 diabetes.
–There are two treatment options when the kidneys fail.
Dialysis in Delhi – peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis – and kidney transplant in Delhi. The costs of both treatments are high. It is estimated that diabetes represents between 5 and 10% of the national health budget in developed western countries.
– Diabetic renal failure develops so slowly that it may not show symptoms for many years.
The best way to detect the problem is the analysis of urine for proteins, which normally should not be present, such as albumin. It is recommended that every person with diabetes undergo a urinalysis every year for albuminuria.
– A close control of the blood glucose level reduces the risk of microalbuminuria, and therefore of future terminal chronic renal failure by up to 35%.
There is conclusive evidence that good blood glucose levels can significantly reduce the risk of developing complications and slowing their progression in all types of diabetes.
The control of high blood pressure and high levels of blood fats (hyperlipidemia) is also very important, advices the kidney specialist in Gurgaon.