Taking note of the fact that diabetes-related conditions are on rise, the doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Jaipur opined that the lifestyle-disorder has also increased the burden of kidney failure not only in Jaipur but also worldwide. The doctors believe that people have limited knowledge and awareness about diabetes, which progresses to some form of kidney damage in their lifetime, even if they never experience kidney failure or end up on dialysis. Kidney failure is the final stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Kidney failure, also known as nephropathy, renal insufficiency, or renal failure, is a condition in which the kidneys do not function properly, and do not filter waste products from the blood. Filtering waste products from the blood is the main function of the kidneys. People with kidney failure undergo dialysis, an artificial blood-cleaning process, or transplantation to receive a healthy kidney from a donor.

Dr Rajesh Garsa, Consultant Nephrology, Fortis Escorts Jaipur said, “As diabetes is a systemic disease, its effects are felt in virtually all parts of the body. Most diabetes-related complications are related to problems in the blood vessels, usually involving changes in blood flow or in the ability of blood to clot. These complications are generally classified into two broad categories: microvascular (involving small blood vessels) and macrovascular (involving large blood vessels). Microvascular damage is responsible for causing eye, kidney, and nerve complications. It has been seen that diabetes is a major cause of renal failure. Approx 40% to 50%of diabetics develop chronic kidney disease. Preventive measures can help to avoid 10% of these kidney failures. However, it has been seen that lack of preventive measures and awareness is causing XX% of diabetic patients to have kidney failure.”

Even kidney failures are of various kinds. First, there is Acute Kidney Failure. This kind of kidney failure is usually reversible, and there is usually a cause for it. In Chronic Kidney Failure, there is usually also a cause, but the damage is irreversible. In Chronic Kidney failure, the damage is not an “acute” attack on the kidneys, but rather a chronic wearing down of the kidney’s functioning over time. People with diabetes can have acute kidney failure. However, they most often have chronic kidney failure.

The symptoms of chronic kidney failure includes decrease in urine, or an absence of urine, or an increase in the level of waste products in the blood as indicated by increased creatinine or urea levels in the bloodstream. Blood loss and protein loss in the urine can also signal kidney insufficiency or failure.