Chronic kidney disease may develop in type 2 diabetics with almost no symptoms • A simple lab test may alert you to the damage at an early stage, and there are now treatments that help slow kidney deterioration and reduce the risk of cardiac complications • Information you shouldn't miss
Chronic kidney disease is one of the significant complications of type 2 diabetes. It may develop over years with almost no noticeable signs, but early detection and proper monitoring can help slow its progression and reduce the risk of heart and kidney complications.
For many people with diabetes, monitoring naturally focuses on blood sugar levels. However, the impact of the disease does not end there. Over time, the kidneys' ability to filter the blood may gradually deteriorate. At the same time, the risk of heart failure, cardiac events, and kidney deterioration increases to the point of requiring complex treatments.
One of the early warning signs may be detected in a simple laboratory test, which measures the level of albumin, a protein that is normally kept mostly in the bloodstream. An increased value of it, identified in the test as one that is excreted from the body, may indicate that the filtering mechanism of the kidneys is damaged. It is important to know that a single abnormal result does not necessarily determine a diagnosis, but it should not be ignored. You should contact your family doctor, consider a repeat test, and complete an assessment of kidney function.
Despite the importance of the index, experts point out that even when an abnormal result is given, there is not always an orderly continuation of investigation, monitoring, and treatment. Some patients do not feel anything and therefore do not rush to see a doctor. Others go between the family doctor, the diabetes specialist, the cardiologist, and the nephrologist, without one factor that completes the picture. This can waste valuable time precisely at the stage when action can be taken.
The progression of the disease can also have a significant impact on quality of life. Along with the possible decline in daily functioning, many patients face concerns about further deterioration and the future need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. Hence the importance of an organized treatment sequence, even before symptoms appear.
Treatment for diabetes-related kidney disease typically involves controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, making lifestyle changes, and medications that help protect the kidneys and heart. In recent years, additional treatment options have been added that work through complementary mechanisms. One of these is Carandia (finerenone), a prescription drug from the mineralocorticoid receptor blocker family, intended for adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease accompanied by elevated albumin levels.
The drug works to reduce processes that contribute to inflammation and scarring in the kidneys and heart. Clinical studies have found that combining it with conventional treatment helps reduce the risk of ongoing deterioration in kidney function, kidney failure, and certain cardiac events. The treatment is not suitable for every patient, and requires a medical decision and monitoring, including potassium levels and kidney function.
The important message for type 2 diabetics is simple. Don't wait for symptoms. Ask your doctor to go through the follow-up tests together, find out if the appropriate renal index was tested, and if an abnormal result is obtained, don't panic, but make sure there is a clear plan for further investigation and treatment. Early diagnosis and adherence to treatment continuity may change the course of the disease and protect the kidneys and heart over the long term.
