A better life with diabetes

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Diabetes is a chronic disease with the potential to affect all organs and organ systems. Up to 40 per cent of diabetics develop severe kidney manifestation of the disease known as diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy is caused by the damage of blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) and other specific cells in the kidney. It develops slowly over many years, successively impacting the kidney function up to the level of end-stage kidney failure.

Early diagnosis is critical to avoid or at least delay the onset of severe and often irreversible complications.

Early and late symptoms caused by diabetic nephropathy

Increase of level in urine albumin (microalbuminuria)

Rise of blood potassium (hyperkalemia)

Worsening of blood pressure control

Less need of insulin or diabetes medicine

Fatigue

Confusion, difficulty to concentrate

Loss of appetite

Nausea and vomiting

Increased need to urinate

Persistent itching

Fluid retention (swelling in arms and legs)

Pulmonary oedema (fluid retention in the lung)

Anaemia

Increased risk of other organ complications due to diabetes such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, retinopathy, neuropathy, erectile dysfunction and foot sores

Irreversible damage of the kidney function with the need for dialysis or kidney transplant

Side effects

Unpleasant side effects and complications can be avoided in many cases or at least delayed if diabetic nephropathy is diagnosed at an early stage and if the three corner stones of modern diabetes management are considered thoroughly:

1 Modern medication for effective control of blood sugar, blood cholesterol and high blood pressure

2 Regular organ screening to assure early diagnosis of organ complication (kidney, eyes, skin, heart, etc.)

3 Lifestyle changes including regular physical exams, healthy diet and refraining from smoking

For patients it is difficult to coordinate all needed appointments without missing important follow-up visits and control exams. Amber Clinics invites you to join its Amber Diabetes Registry or Amber Diabetes Patient Education Programme. Its highly specialised interdisciplinary Diabetes Care Team looks forward to taking care of you. As Amber Clinics considers Diabetes Registry and Interactive Diabetes Education a corporate social responsibility, everybody can attend both the programmes free of cost.