People with type 2 diabetes at risk of cardio-renal complications are less likely to develop diabetic kidney disease if they are started on preventative treatment early, a consultant nephrologist claims.
Speaking at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2024, Dr Andrew Frankel, Consultant Nephrologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has said that diabetic kidney disease can be preventable if those at risk of cardio-renal complications are identified early.
According to Dr Frankel, early recognition of people at risk means they can potentially be prescribed SGLT2 Inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists – medications that can potentially prevent diabetic kidney disease.
He said: “By the time we are currently recognising those at risk of diabetic kidney disease, damage is already being caused. eGFR is useless because by the time it has dropped, you have knackered kidneys.
“We need to shift the slope of when we intervene because early identification improves patient outcomes and the economy.”
People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease if there is a history of the condition in their family.
In addition, individuals with type 2 diabetes who are overweight or obese, or have high blood pressure, are also at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease is the 10th most common cause of death worldwide and is projected to be the fifth biggest by 2040.
A total of 7.2 million people in the UK have chronic kidney disease – more than 10 per cent of the entire population.
At the Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2024, Dr Frankel revealed this the growth in chronic kidney disease numbers has been driven by people with diabetes.
“We are facing a threat in this country that people needing dialysis is significantly increasing, causing a tsunami of disease,” said Dr Frankel.