Beware of Leaking Kidney in Diabetes Patients

Diabetes is a chronic disease that often causes complications. Not infrequently, complications that arise can endanger the sufferer's health condition. One complication caused by diabetes is kidney leak. Kidney has the shape of a kidney bean, which is located just below the left and right ribs. There are several kidney functions in the body, namely:
  • Filtering residual substances and poisons from the blood to then be discharged through urine.
  • Maintain blood pressure.
  • Regulates the balance of fluids and electrolytes in the body.
  • Help strengthen bones.
  • Producing hormone forming red blood cells.

Filter Organ Damage

Kidney disorders often arise in people with diabetes, this condition is known as diabetic nephropathy. This disease occurs because the filter in the kidney is damaged, so the kidneys leak and drain a number of proteins, especially albumin from the blood into the urine. Based on the amount of albumin that enters the urine, leaky kidneys can be divided into two categories, namely:

  • Microalbuminuria

    • Microalbuminuria is a condition when protein albumin in the urine is around 30-300 mg per day. This is an early sign of a kidney disorder.

  • Proteinuria

    • Proteinuria is a condition in which protein albumin in the urine is more than 300 mg per day and is more difficult to handle. This type of kidney leak indicates kidney failure has occurred and needs to be treated by a doctor immediately.
High blood sugar levels in diabetics can also lead to scarring of filter cells in the kidneys. That can cause kidney function to slow down gradually over the years. If not treated immediately, the process will continue to cause kidney failure. Some diabetes conditions that are at risk of developing kidney problems include having an uncontrolled blood sugar level, having high blood pressure, actively smoking, getting type 1 diabetes before the age of 20, or having a family history of diabetes and kidney problems.

Symptoms that need to be observed

Kidney disorders that can end in leaky kidneys, develop slowly and are rarely accompanied by certain symptoms at an early stage. Symptoms of new kidney damage will appear 5 to 10 years after the occurrence of kidney disorders. Symptoms that can appear include:
  • Easy to feel weak.
  • Headache.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • No appetite.
  • Swelling in the feet, around the eyes, or other body areas.
  • Pale and weak.
  • Muscle cramps.
  • Itchy skin.
  • Infected easily.
Increased levels of albumin in the urine is one sign of kidney damage in diabetics. But in addition to checking urine albumin to detect leaky kidneys, a series of other tests are also needed such as kidney function tests, Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), and urine analysis to evaluate the extent of kidney damage. Therefore, to prevent kidney leakage or other kidney disorders it is important for diabetics to maintain normal blood sugar and blood pressure levels, adopt a healthy lifestyle, follow a low salt and protein diet, exercise regularly, and stop smoking. In addition, check the protein in urine and blood tests to the hospital at least once a year or according to doctor's recommendations. This is intended to find out overall kidney function. For diabetics, do not hesitate to consult with your doctor about the risk of kidney failure and kidney failure, as well as how to best prevent it.

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