Diabetes, Kidney Disease and Vascular Issues Are Interconnected

Diabetes, Kidney DiseaseHigh blood sugar and vascular disease are interrelated. In our country, nearly 30 million people have diabetes, and a vast majority of our population unknowingly has what’s known as prediabetes, which quickly escalates into the disease within a short amount of time. If you have diabetes, it’s important to work closely with your primary care physician, your nephrologist and your vascular surgeon because Vascular diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, are major causes of disability and death in patients with diabetes.

If you are one of the millions of Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes, you are at a greater risk of a comorbid disorder known as diabetic kidney disease.

The National Kidney Foundation published 7 important Diabetic Kidney Disease factors, which are described below:

Diabetic Kidney Disease is a decrease in kidney function that occurs in some people who have diabetes. It means that your kidneys are not doing their job as well as they once did to remove waste products and excess fluid from your body. These wastes can build up in your body and cause damage to other organs.

1. What causes it?
The causes of diabetic kidney disease are complex and most likely related to many factors. Some experts feel that changes in the circulation of blood within the filtering units of the kidney (glomeruli) may play an important role.

2. Who is susceptible to diabetic kidney disease?
The following risk factors have been linked to increased risk of developing this disease: high blood pressure, poor glucose (sugar) control and diet.

3. I have diabetes. How do I know if my kidneys are affected?
In the early stages, there may not be any symptoms. As kidney function decreases further, toxic wastes build up, and patients often have nausea, lose their appetites, have hiccups, and gain weight due to fluid retention. If left untreated, patients can also develop heart failure and fluid in their lungs.

4. How long does it take for kidneys to become affected?
Almost all patients with Type I diabetes develop some evidence of functional change in the kidneys within two to five years of the diagnosis. About 30 to 40 percent progress to more serious kidney disease, usually within about 10 to 30 years.

The course of Type II (adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent) diabetes is less well defined, but it is believed to follow a similar course, except that it occurs at an older age.

Vascular & Vein Center at Gulfcoast Surgeons provides dialysis access and work closely with nephrologists and dialysis centers. Many diabetic patients also experience vascular issues and need a vascular surgeon to provide dialysis access, vascularization and even limb salvage.

In the event that your kidneys fail you will need dialysis therapy to clean and filter your blood unless or until you have a successful kidney transplant. One of three hemodialysis access points will be created by your vascular surgeon. A fistula is an access made by joining an artery and vein in your arm, a graft, made by using a piece of soft tube to join an artery and vein in your arm, or a catheter which is a soft tube placed in a large vein, usually in your neck.

If you or a loved one has any of the venous symptoms or risk factors discussed above, you must seek medical attention immediately. Making an appointment with a vascular surgeon specializing in venous disease is critical.

Vascular & Vein Center at Gulfcoast Surgeons
The Vascular and Vein Center at Gulfcoast Surgeons is one of the first and most respected vein clinics in Southwest Florida. Their surgeons, Dr. Abraham Sadighi, Dr. Michael Novotney, and Dr. Johan Escribano, have performed thousands of vascular and vein surgeries over the past 28 years.

They focus on diseases of the vascular system that can range from harmless but unattractive spider veins to dangerous conditions such as peripheral artery disease. Their caring and dedicated team will help you identify problems and offer the best treatment options for you.

The Vascular and Vein Center at Gulfcoast Surgeons offer a fully equipped vascular lab and state-of-the-
art Angio suite to provide a higher level of service and care for their patients. You’ll find comfort in knowing that they have a long-standing reputation for positive surgical outcomes that allow you to get back to healthy living.

Call the Vascular & Vein Center at Gulfcoast Surgeons today at (239) 344-7061 to make an appointment with a vascular surgeon who specializes in arteries and veins.

Vascular & Vein Center at Gulfcoast Surgeons
877-LEG-PAIN
gulfcoastsurgeons.com

Fort Myers
8010 Summerlin Lakes Dr., Suite 100
Fort Myers, Florida 33907

Cape Coral
1003 Del Prado Blvd., Suite 303
Cape Coral, Florida 33990

Bonita Springs
24301 Walden Center Dr., Suite 102
Bonita Springs, Florida 34134

Source:
https://vascular.org/patients/vascular-treatments/dialysis-access
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/preventkiddisease