diabetic kidney disease symptoms
Metabolic Health
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Risks & Symptoms Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic kidney disease is a condition that affects specific individuals. In some cases, it might lead to renal failure. Luckily, diabetic kidney disease symptoms and signs can alert you to potentially fatal diseases. The goal of treatment is to stop or slow the course of the disease. The treatment also aims to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes, which are more common among diabetic patients. Continue reading to learn what are the symptoms of diabetic kidney disease. High blood glucose (sugar) levels can harm your kidneys' small blood arteries and microscopic filters.

1. Swelling of the Hands, Feet and Face

Sodium retention, which causes oedema in your feet and ankles, is one of the signs of diabetic kidney disease. Lower extremity swelling can also be a symptoms of a heart disorder, hepatic disease, or persistent leg vein issues.

2. Trouble sleeping or concentrating.

A considerable reduction in kidney function can result in a buildup of toxins and toxic substances in the blood. This decline might make individuals feel weary and weak, making it difficult to focus.

3. Poor Appetite

Sluggish appetite is a diabetic kidney disease symptom. Poor appetite is a pretty common occurrence. A possible explanation for this might be a buildup of toxins due to decreased kidney function.

4. Nausea and Vomiting

When renal function declines, nausea and vomiting might ensue. A buildup of waste in your body or a side effect of dialysis or medicine can also cause this. You may lose weight and lose appetite.

5. Weakness

Toxins and chemicals can accumulate in the blood when kidney function declines significantly. Weakness and exhaustion are common diabetic kidney disease symptoms. They also reduce concentration. Anaemia is another renal illness complication that can cause weakness and exhaustion.

6. Itching and Severely Dry Skin

Dry and itchy skin can indicate mineral and bone disease, which commonly occurs with severe kidney disease. This condition occurs when your kidneys fail to maintain a healthy mineral balance in your blood. 

7. Drowsiness

The end-stage renal disease occurs when your kidneys no longer function as they should support your body's demands. A significant decline in kidney function can result in an accumulation of toxins and pollutants in the blood. This alteration may cause people to feel weary and weak, and it makes them more inattentive.

8. Abnormalities in Heart Rhythm

An irregular heartbeat occurs when your potassium level is too high. 

  • Potassium aids in the proper functioning of your heart.
  • It does this by helping to control the electrical impulses that travel through the middle layer of your heart muscle, the myocardium.
  • Hyperkalemia can cause arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat.
  • If left untreated, it can lead to a heart attack or even death.
  • According to research, people with low potassium levels and diabetic kidney disease symptoms make less insulin.
  • Hyperkalemia refers to a very high level of potassium in the blood.
  • Potassium is a nutrient present in meals that is necessary.
  • This vitamin aids the operation of your neurons and muscles.
  • However, having too much potassium in your blood might harm your heart and trigger a heart attack.
  • According to experts, high potassium levels in the blood are linked to cardiovascular disease and frequently lead to fatal CHF.

Some people have higher blood sugar levels and are more prone to acquiring type 2 diabetes than others. Significant weight gain triggers type 2 diabetes.

9. Muscle Twitching

One of the symptoms of kidney disease in people with diabetes is involuntary muscle twitching. The condition involves nerve damage that results in contractions, cramps, and muscle weakness. 

Can borderline diabetes associated with kidney disease cause fatal diabetes?

No, kidney disease cannot cause diabetes, or borderline diabetes or mild diabetes does not cause kidney disease, but excessive amounts of urea can lead to diabetes. Type 2 and type 1 diabetes cause kidney disease. Diabetic neuropathy is the name of the kidney disease complication of diabetes.

  • Diabetic kidney disease disrupts glomeruli and tiny blood vessel clusters.
  • As a result, the kidney removes enormous amounts of protein from the blood, principally albumin, and excretes it in the urine.
  • Diabetes causes chronic kidney disease by impairing the kidneys' ability to eliminate waste products and excess fluid from the body.
  • If your kidneys are in good shape, your diabetologist may only find a trace of albumin in your urine.

The first sign of diabetes is an increase in albumin in the urine.

Link between Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes?

However, some researchers have discovered a new link between chronic kidney disease and diabetes. When the kidneys fail, urea builds up in the blood, triggering diabetes. Experts recognize that the development of type 2 diabetes is a prominent cause of chronic renal damage. Microvascular changes inside the kidney frequently result in chronic kidney disease (CKD), also known as diabetic kidney disease (DKD) or diabetic nephropathy. Also read about sugar level in urine

What are the Treatment Guidelines for Diabetic Kidney Disease?

Nephrologists manage Diabetic nephropathy with medications that include:

  • Control of blood pressure Medications Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin two receptor blockers are beneficial. 
  • You can control your blood sugar with Metformin. It improves insulin sensitivity and lowers glucose production in the liver. 
  • SGLT2 inhibitors prevent glucose from entering the bloodstream, resulting in more glucose excretion in the urine.
  • Patients can reduce their high cholesterol with cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. Doctors can use it to treat high cholesterol and reduce protein in the urine. People should keep a check on the symptoms of kidney disease by diabetes.

Bottomline

Healthy kidneys eliminate waste and excess fluid from your body, assist in the formation of red blood cells, aid in the maintenance of bone strength, and work to retain the proper quantity of minerals in your blood. Diabetes can lead to kidney disease, which may result in renal failure. It prevents the kidneys from removing waste and excess fluid from the body, leading to symptoms like low appetite, swollen feet, and muscle spasms. Early on in diabetic nephropathy, you may not experience any symptoms. However, checking and regulating your blood sugar levels can lower the kidney disease complications of diabetes. 

References

  • https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetic-kidney-disease-stages

Disclaimer

This website's content is provided only for educational reasons and is not meant to be a replacement for professional medical advice. Due to individual differences, the reader should contact their physician to decide whether the material is applicable to their case.