If we examine the five stages we can see how kidney disease progresses:
Stage 1 – The flow of blood through the kidneys increases and enlargement of the kidneys takes place. It is possible to stay in this stage indefinitely or advance to Stage II after many years.
Stage II – Small amounts of blood protein known as albumin leak into the urine. This is called microalbuminuria.
Stage III – This tends to be the diagnostic stage and it is at this stage of disease that many people are first diagnosed. The rate of loss of albumin and other proteins increases. High blood pressure can develop and the kidneys continue to lose the ability to filter the body’s waste.
Stage IV – In this stage large amounts of urine are passed through the kidneys and high blood pressure is almost always present.
Stage V – The ability of the kidneys to filter waste virtually ceases. Kidney dialysis or kidney transplants are treatment options. The only alternative to this is dying.
The diabetic person needs to consciously work at:
▪ Controlling weight
▪ Controlling cholesterol
▪ Controlling blood glucose
▪ Exercising
▪ Not smoking
▪ Not overindulging in alcohol
▪ Eating regularly with a balanced diet.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
