Without the kidneys’ ability to filter waste out of blood and balance the body’s fluids, people would quickly die. In fact, kidney disease kills more people every year than breast or prostate cancer. Fortunately, the main causes of kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, are preventable or manageable.
Diabetes and Kidney Disease
Having a high glucose, or blood sugar, level can damage many bodily functions including the kidneys. The blood vessels in the kidneys can sustain damage due to high blood sugar, which prevents them from properly filtering waste in blood.
In addition, nerves in the kidneys can also become damaged, preventing you from fully emptying your bladder. When this happens, urine backs up into the kidneys and damages them. Approximately 30% of Type 1 (juvenile onset) diabetes patients will develop kidney disease while 10 to 40% of those with Type 2 diabetes will develop it.
High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease
Just as with diabetes, the blood vessels of the kidneys can sustain damage from uncontrolled high blood pressure. It causes the arteries to narrow, become weak, or harden and it prevents blood and oxygen from being delivered to the kidneys. This can cause kidney disease so it’s important to learn about glomerular filtration rate testing
Testing for Kidney Disease
If you’re a diabetic with high blood sugar levels and/or you have high blood pressure, your doctor may conduct two tests to check your kidneys. The first is a urine test to check for a protein called albumin. The second is the GFR, or glomerular filtration rate, blood test to check on how well your kidneys are functioning. It’s important to learn about glomerular filtration rate if you have either or both of these medical conditions.
A GFR of 60 indicates that your kidneys are healthy. Any lower than 60 may mean that you’re at risk for kidney disease. Follow us on Google+
