Cardinal Danger Signs of Kidney Damage in Diabetes

One of the worst complications to arise out of delayed diabetes detection, or its inadequate treatment, is kidney damage. Since we have 2 kidneys each, there can be long gaps between the first signs of kidney damage, and any perceptible symptoms. Fortunately, doctors have ways of knowing if kidney damage has started, or if it is imminent. What are these tests?

1.      Protein (albumin) in urine. The kidneys should filter proteins in blood, and prevent their loss through urine. Protein in urine, generally measured by the presence of albumin, is an indicator of kidney damage.

2.      Creatinine: this is a waste product of protein metabolism. The kidneys are supposed to remove this waste from blood. A higher than normal level of this waste in blood indicates that the kidneys do not function normally.

3.      Hypertension: high blood pressure is never a good sign in any person, but it is a warning of future or even current kidney damage in a person with diabetes.

These 3 tests are demonstrative examples of the need for regular medical surveillance. A doctor can uncover complications of diabetes long before a person suffering with the condition feels anything different. 

Kidney damage is a serious risk in diabetes, and only regular medical checks can ensure timely intervention.