What’s the Link Between Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease?
Insufficient insulin prevents your body from distributing blood sugar in the right way. An accumulation of glucose in your bloodstream as a result might cause chronic kidney disease, among other health issues.
A damaged pancreas is the underlying cause of type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease. Insulin production issues result from this.
Diabetic nephropathy or diabetic kidney disease are other names for type 1 diabetes-related chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is a typical problem that appears gradually as type 1 diabetes progresses. Unmanaged diabetes is linked to more severe instances.
How does type 1 diabetes affect the kidneys and lead to kidney disease?
Diabetes can cause damage to the kidneys' nephrons and blood arteries, which can lead to high blood pressure or high blood sugar (glucose). This can result in renal disease.
The kidneys often assist in removing waste from the blood and transferring it to urine.
Uncontrolled type 1 diabetes can cause high blood sugar, which damages kidney cells and reduces their ability to filter as well as they should. Your urine may become less protein-rich as a result of this. We refer to this as microalbuminuria.
Important kidney functions, such as removing waste from the body, become less effective as renal disease increases. This may result in a hazardous accumulation of waste within your body.
Diabetes is thought to be the primary cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD), albeit not everyone with type 1 diabetes will have CKD. One in three adult diabetics is thought to develop CKD.
In addition to elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure and a family history of the condition might also be risk factors for diabetic kidney damage.
What are the symptoms of kidney disease due to type 1 diabetes?
Usually, symptoms of diabetic kidney disease don't appear until the disease has proceeded to more advanced stages.
Kidney disease symptoms can include:
- foamy urine
- loss of appetite
- concentration difficulties
- problems sleeping
- upset stomach
- weakness
- swelling in the lower extremities
As CKD progresses, other symptoms like fatigue, dyspnea, and blood in the urine may also occur.
When to get medical help
Regular check-ups with a doctor are crucial to help avoid and treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) as well as any potential complications associated with type 1 diabetes.
Additionally, you should seek medical attention if you find that your current symptoms are getting worse or if you suspect that you may have diabetic kidney disease.
How is diabetic kidney disease diagnosed?
A doctor can use blood and urine tests to determine diabetic kidney disease. To assist in identifying kidney issues before they worsen, anyone with diabetes should speak with their physician about having these tests done regularly.
Urine tests can be used to identify excess proteins that may indicate renal issues. Waste materials that have accumulated in your bloodstream can be found using blood tests.
For example, before microalbuminuria develops into end-stage renal disease (ESRD), or kidney failure, a doctor can test for an excess of proteins in your urine.
Diabetic kidney disease treatment and management
CKD presently has no known treatment. The main objective of treatment and management for individuals with diabetic kidney disease is to stop more kidney damage from occurring.
You might also lessen your chance of developing heart disease or other CKD problems.
The best time to treat diabetic kidney disease is when it's first developing. Urine and blood tests can identify chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the ideal scenario, even before signs of renal dysfunction appear.
Further kidney damage can be avoided by maintaining blood pressure and blood sugar levels within optimal ranges. Inhibitors of the sodium-glucose transport protein 2 (SGLT2) can aid in halting further harm.
Dialysis or a kidney transplant may be necessary in more severe cases of diabetic renal disease. In ESRD, when your kidneys are no longer functional, this is required.
Diabetes and kidney disease life expectancy
According to research published in 2021, diabetic kidney disease can result in early mortality. There is no specific timeframe because CKD and diabetes are complicated conditions, especially type 2 diabetes.
Both renal disease and type 1 diabetes have ambiguous life expectancies. It is thought that within a decade to thirty years, up to forty percent of those with type 1 diabetes may have more severe kidney impairment.
According to a 2017 study, almost 25% of individuals with type 1 diabetes experienced end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within 40 years. However, the authors pointed out that early detection has contributed to a decrease in these rates in recent decades.
Can you prevent diabetic kidney disease?
Controlling diabetes can help avoid kidney damage and other associated problems.
Apart from diabetic drugs, a physician might suggest:
- blood pressure medications
- cutting back on sodium in your diet
- Limiting the amount of extra protein you eat
- getting regular exercise
- weight management
- If you smoke, give it up.
- avoiding alcohol
A medical practitioner can assist you in creating a strategy that is effective for you if you need assistance stopping drinking or smoking.
An additional consequence of type 1 diabetes that can raise your risk of diabetic kidney damage is high blood pressure. A doctor would probably check your blood pressure in addition to urine and blood tests, aiming to keep it below 140/90 mm Hg or below 130/80 mm Hg, depending on the standards that were followed.
Because nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) can harm your kidneys, your doctor might advise against using them.
FAQs
It's crucial to discuss your risk of kidney disease with your doctor if you have diabetes. Here are some starter questions to get the conversation going.
Does Type 1 diabetes cause kidney disease?
Diabetes patients frequently develop CKD. Of adults with diabetes, about one in three have CKD. Kidney disease can be brought on by either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Can too much insulin damage your kidneys?
Insulin has minimal to no influence on glomerular filtration rate, permeability to albumin, or renal hemodynamics in healthy people. Urinary albumin excretion is specifically increased by hyperinsulinemia in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes.
How long does it take for diabetes to damage kidneys?
Within two to five years of their diagnosis, almost all individuals with Type I diabetes show some indication of a functional alteration in their kidneys. Within 10 to 30 years, roughly 30 to 40 percent of cases advance to more severe renal disease.
Can a diabetic person live with one kidney?
The majority of persons who just have one kidney lead regular lives and don't experience any short- or long-term issues. However, if you only have one kidney rather than two, your chances of having moderate hypertension, fluid retention, and proteinuria are somewhat increased.
Takeaway
One common diabetic consequence is kidney damage. Kidney issues with type 1 diabetes can take years to manifest, but if the condition is left untreated, complications could arise more quickly.
Nonetheless, controlling your blood pressure and blood sugar levels can help lower your chance of getting diabetic kidney disease. Even though early diabetic kidney damage doesn't show any symptoms, yearly testing can help a physician find issues early on.
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