Nephropathy

The kidneys have many tiny blood vessels that filter waste from your blood. High blood sugar from diabetes can destroy these blood vessels. Over time, the kidney isn't able to do its job as well. Later it may stop working completely.

Certain things make you more likely to get diabetic nephropathy. If you also have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or if you smoke, your risk is higher. Also, Native Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics (especially Mexican Americans) have a higher risk.

There are no symptoms in the early stages. So it's important to have regular urine tests to find kidney damage early. Sometimes early kidney damage can be reversed. As your kidneys are less able to do their job, you may notice swelling in your body, most often in your feet and legs. The problem is diagnosed using simple tests that check for a protein called albumin in the urine. Urine doesn't usually contain protein. But in the early stages of kidney damage before you have any symptoms some protein may be found in your urine, because your kidneys aren't able to filter it out the way they should. Finding kidney damage early can keep it from getting worse. So it's important for people with diabetes to have regular testing, usually every year.