Type 2 Diabetes - This Could Be A New Testing Method for Diagnosing Diabetic Kidney Disease Early!

One of the most serious complications of Type 2 diabetes is kidney disease, or nephropathy. Too much sugar in your blood can cause your kidneys to:

• filter too much blood too fast,
• to leak protein into your urine, and
• to be unable to filter out waste from your body.

When high blood sugar is caught early it can be treated, making dialysis and kidney transplants unnecessary.


A molecule called platelet-derived growth factor, abbreviated PDGF, was recently noticed in diabetic kidneys. Researchers at Tanta University in Egypt conducted a study to discover whether PDGF might be used as a method of detecting early diabetic nephropathy.

The results of this study was published in the journal Renal Failure, in February 2012. The study included 60 Type 2 diabetics and 20 non-diabetics. The people with Type 2 diabetes were found to have significantly higher levels of PDGF than the non-diabetics.

Diabetics whose kidneys were spilling too much protein into their urine, meaning their kidneys were struggling due to the high sugar levels, had higher levels of PDGF than diabetics who did not have protein in their urine.

From this information it was concluded PDGF might prove to be a good indicator for diagnosing diabetic nephropathy in its early stages.
Keeping...

• blood sugar levels,
• HbA1c levels, and
• blood pressure

normal, can prevent diabetic nephropathy. Regular check-ups give physicians the opportunity to check the Type 2 diabetic's urine for protein and other molecules indicative of kidney disease.

Early signs of diabetic nephropathy also include:

• high blood pressure,
• elevated cholesterol and blood fats.

After the condition has progressed, swollen feet and legs, poor appetite leading to weight loss, unusual tiredness, nausea and vomiting, or insomnia are usually present.

When diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed, measures to normalize blood pressure, such as:

• weight loss,
• a low salt diet,
• avoidance of alcohol and tobacco, and
• regular exercise

are recommended.
Sometimes a low protein diet is prescribed to keep the kidneys from having to deal with too much protein.

Medications called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are used to treat high blood pressure and diabetic nephropathy, or either condition separately. Some of the most common kinds of ACE inhibitors are:

• captopril,
• enalopril, and
• lisinopril.

A rare side effect of ACE inhibitors in Type 2 diabetics is low blood sugar, so blood sugar should be watched carefully. Coughing is a more common side effect.

Diabetic nephropathy will likely become easier to diagnose at earlier stages with continued research. In the mean time, it is important to maintain healthy blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. If the condition is diagnosed, taking medications and staying on the recommended diet can help to preserve kidney function.

How do you start to create a healthy lifestyle today so you can avoid kidney problems including diabetic nephropathy?

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

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