Diabetic Kidney Disease Specialist

What is diabetic kidney disease?

Diabetic kidney disease is a form of chronic kidney disease that develops because of damage to your kidneys from diabetes. Insulin, a hormone from your pancreas, facilitates the delivery of glucose from your blood to your cells so that they can use it for energy. 

Depending on the type of diabetes you have, you either don’t have enough insulin to remove glucose from your blood efficiently, or your body doesn’t use insulin properly. Either way, diabetes leaves you with excess glucose in your bloodstream that can harm your kidneys. 

The glucose damages the blood vessels within your kidneys, leading them to lose function over time. Additionally, diabetes often comes with high blood pressure, which can further damage your kidneys and impair their function. 

What is my risk of developing diabetic kidney disease?

If you have diabetes, a few factors can heighten your chances of developing kidney disease. You’re more likely to develop diabetic kidney disease if you have diabetes and you:

• Smoke
• Don’t eat healthily
• Are overweight
• Are inactive or sedentary
• Eat lots of sodium
• Have heart disease
  
  

At Kidney Health Specialists, Dr. Cristea evaluates your behaviors and habits. He can recommend healthy changes you can make to improve your diabetes and reduce overall kidney damage from diabetic kidney disease. 

How is diabetic kidney disease treated?

Developing healthy lifestyle habits is one of the most important parts of treatment for diabetic kidney disease. Of course, you’ll also have to follow your treatment plan for diabetes. Depending on the type you have, it may include regular monitoring of your blood sugar, daily insulin doses, and other medications to control cholesterol, blood pressure, and other factors. 

Just like other forms of chronic kidney disease, diabetic kidney disease can eventually lead to kidney failure. If this happens, you’ll either need a kidney transplant or regular dialysis for treatment. 

Dialysis is a process that filters waste and excess fluid from your blood, which is what your kidneys typically do when they’re healthy. During dialysis, a machine called a dialyzer removes, filters, and returns your blood. You’ll need to do this about three times a week.

By staying on track with your custom treatment plan for diabetic kidney disease, you can minimize future damage to your kidneys. In some cases, treatment alongside healthy lifestyle changes can prolong your kidney function and help you avoid kidney failure. 

If you have diabetes and concerns about diabetic kidney disease or already have a diagnosis, call Kidney Health Specialists or schedule an appointment online today.