Diabetes related kidney failure set to double over next decade

Twice as many people will suffer from diabetes-related kidney failure over the next decade, according to the charity Diabetes UK.
Kidney-failure currently costs the NHS £940m every year, with more than 18,000 people requiring dialysis to rectify problems with food digestion caused by diabetes. It is predicted that, by 2025, this will rise to 35,000.
End-stage kidney failure is most commonly caused by diabetes, and often requires a kidney transplant. Careful management of blood pressure and blood glucose levels can half the risk of kidney disease.
Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “It is a real cause for concern that, if we were to continue along the same path, our ageing population and the growing numbers of people with diabetes mean we would be faced with a huge rise in diabetes-related kidney failure. This would have awful consequences, as kidney failure has a devastating impact on people’s lives and is one of the reasons that so many people with diabetes die prematurely.”
One of the most important checks for kidney diseases, which involves testing the urine for the protein microalbumi, is one of the least conducted care processes. In fact, a quarter of people are not tested in this way.
For people at risk of diabetes-related kidney disease, it is recommended that blood sugar levels and blood pressure are kept within a target range, and that smokers stop smoking.