The 2007 Annual Data Report from the U.S. Renal Data System states that diabetes was the primary cause of 48.3 percent of all renal failure in the United States. The association between renal failure and diabetes is so close that the National Institute of Health refers to diabetes as a kidney disease. This close association makes preserving kidney function a top priority for diabetics.
Step 1
Monitor your blood pressure and actively partner with your doctor to keep it within an acceptable range. Consider purchasing a blood pressure cuff and taking your blood pressure at home periodically so you have a good sense of your blood pressure between doctor visits. Elevated blood pressure is the second largest cause of renal failure, right after diabetes. The glomeruli that filter blood in the kidney are really nothing more than tiny blood vessels and they are destroyed when blood pressure is too high.
Step 2
Monitor your blood glucose using a glucose meter, and develop a regimen with your doctor to keep your numbers within range. The regiment may include diet, drugs or insulin. Both the American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health report that kidney disease can be forestalled by keeping blood sugar in the appropriate range.The risk of renal failure is cut in half even for patients who have elevated urine protein. The American Diabetes Association reports that the world's largest diabetes study shows that there was a 21 percent drop in the risk of kidney failure among patients who diligently controlled their blood sugar.
Step 3
Test your urine protein at regular intervals and work with your doctor to take steps if it becomes elevated. Your doctor will be able to suggest an appropriate interval for urine testing and will write lab orders for the test. For many patients, an appropriate interval might be every three to four months. This can be as simple as dropping off a urine specimen, or as complicated as a 24-hour urine collection.
Testing urine protein is important because high urine protein, or proteinuria, is a red flag for kidney disease and is often the first sign that something is amiss. Treating proteinuria depends upon the severity of the proteinuria.
Things You'll Need
- Blood pressure cuff (optional)
- Glucose meter
