The importance of the kidneys in the human body can be described as great.
This fava bean-shaped organ, located on the lower back of the human body, helps the body to excrete water and toxins at all times, and also helps the human body to balance acid and base.
It is precisely because of this inconspicuous organ that many people do not care at all, and kidney-related diseases are gradually increasing.
Therefore, the National Association of Nephrology and the International Alliance of Kidney Funds jointly proposed that the second Thursday in March of each year be designated as World Kidney Day, hoping that the public can have a correct understanding of chronic kidney disease.
The theme of 2022 is ---- "Everyone pays attention to kidney health, I love my kidney, and knowledge strengthens the kidney".
Diabetic nephropathy, sweet annoyances, bitter consequences
As the most common complication of diabetes, about 20-50% of diabetic patients develop diabetic nephropathy.
It should be known that the kidneys mainly help the human body to remove excess metabolic waste in the body, and once the blood sugar rises, it will destroy this stable filtration system, thereby increasing the burden on the kidney filtration system.
The kidneys themselves have a strong compensatory capacity at the beginning, but as the disease gradually worsens, microvascular lesions occur, resulting in an increase in the vascular pressure of the kidneys, which eventually causes a variety of changes in the morphology and structure of the kidney site, causing diabetic nephropathy.
Diabetic nephropathy, what are the symptoms?
1, typical symptoms
There are usually no obvious symptoms in the early stages, and trace proteinuria can only be detected through early screening for diabetes.
In patients with advanced stages, symptoms such as hypertension, edema, and foamy urine will be present. On examination, a large amount of proteinuria is found, and GFR decreases. Some patients may also have anemia, such as fatigue and pallor.
2. Accompanying symptoms
People with the disease develop a variety of concomitant symptoms, such as lesions of the cardiovascular system, digestive system, and nervous system.
Most of the symptoms of the central cerebrovascular system are manifested by resting tachycardia and orthostatic hypotension. There may be no obvious symptoms in the early stages, palpitations as the disease progresses, and mild headaches and fainting symptoms when standing.
Digestive symptoms can be manifested by increased time for gastric emptying, diarrhea, fecal incontinence, and constipation. On the nervous system, there may be multiple neuritis, limb paresthesia symptoms.
In addition, the patient's water electrolyte will also be disturbed, which will then lead to dehydration of the body, hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, water and sodium retention, etc.
For diabetics, how to prevent the emergence of kidney disease?
It needs to be clear that not all diabetes will be complicated by kidney disease, and sugar friends can effectively prevent the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy by doing a good job of relevant prevention work.
So, here's what you need to do:
First, prevent and treat urinary tract infections
Diabetics have a reduced ability to resist infection, and are prone to pyelonephritis, which aggravates kidney damage.
Therefore, people with diabetes should prevent and treat urinary tract infections as soon as possible to prevent damage to the patient's kidneys and cause diabetic nephropathy.
Before treating urinary tract infections, bacterial cultures of the patient's urine should be performed and appropriate antibiotic therapy should be selected for the patient based on the results of the culture.
Second, adjust your diet
Diabetics need to reduce their intake of high salt and protein and eat a reasonable diet.
Through the adjustment of diet, it can not only delay the progression of renal insufficiency, but also facilitate the control of diabetes and play a role in lowering blood pressure. In general, patients should not consume more than 15% of their total calories per day.
Third, control your blood sugar
Diabetics need to actively control their own blood sugar in order to prevent microvascular lesions, increased renal vascular pressure, causing the disease, therefore, sugar friends need to strictly control blood sugar in daily life, blood sugar control within the normal range.
Of course, long-term regular exercise can also effectively slow down diabetes and the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy.
Therefore, it is recommended that sugar friends need to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 150 minutes a week and at least 3 times a week.
It should be reminded that it is medium intensity rather than high intensity, after all, high-intensity exercise raises blood pressure, increases the level of microalbumin in the urine, and then induces risks such as hypoglycemia.
Therefore, it is recommended that sugar friends need to choose a reasonable exercise method under the guidance of a doctor to avoid negative effects.
bibliography:
[1] Expert Consensus on the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy (2014 Edition) Chinese Journal of Diabetes Mellitus 2014,6(11):792-801.
[2] Lin Guowei,Wang Jiyao,Ge Junbo. Practical Internal Medicine[M]. 15th edition. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2017.