PREVENTION STEPS.

Diabetes and Kidney Failure

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic renal failure in Singapore, accounting for 30 percent of all reported cases. It is a condition where the body lacks a hormone called insulin, which helps the body to absorb glucose from the blood.

The body processes carbohydrates found in foods and converts them to glucose, the major source of food for the body cells. When there is a shortage of insulin in the body, glucose levels build up in the bloodstream. This damages the small blood vessels throughout the body, affecting the kidneys as well as other organs and tissues like the skin, nerves, muscles and the heart.

Diabetes can be diagnosed through a blood glucose test or urinalysis.

1.      What are the different types of diabetes?

2.      Among diabetics, who are most likely to develop kidney disease?

3.      Where diabetics are concerned, what are the symptoms of kidney failure?

4.      How can a diabetic keep from getting kidney disease?

• What are the different types of diabetes?
  
  A diabetic suffers from either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, or Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), refers to insulin deficiency in the body, and develops mainly in adolescence and early adulthood. Type 2 diabetes, or Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM), refers to insulin resistance in the body. This condition develops mainly in adults, and is frequently associated with obesity and hypertension.
• Among diabetics, who are most likely to develop kidney disease?
  • People who are overweight.
  • People with a family history of diabetes and kidney disease.
  • People over 40 years old with Type 2 diabetes.
• Where diabetics are concerned, what are the symptoms of kidney failure?
  
  If you are diabetic, you should be on the lookout for the following symptoms:
  • High blood pressure
  • Leg swelling
  • An increased need to urinate, especially at night.
  • Less need for insulin or anti-diabetic pills
  • Morning sickness, nausea and vomiting.
  • Weakness, pallor and anaemia.
  • Itching
• How can a diabetic keep from getting kidney disease?
  • By maintaining normal blood pressure levels
  • By controlling blood sugar levels
  • By reducing the intake of dietary protein
  • By increasing the intake of high-fibre
  • By taking medications as prescribed

(Information provided by Assoc. Prof. Woo Keng Thye, Senior Consultant & Head, Dept. of Renal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital.)

For more information on KIDNEY FAILURES, you can always go to these Web Sites.
1) www.kdf.org.sg/aboutus.htm
2) www.nkfs.org
3) www.mkac.org
4) www.thegift.org

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