Which department to see for diabetic nephropathy?

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

Updated on May 12, 2025

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In principle, patients with diabetic nephropathy should seek treatment in the nephrology department of a formal public hospital. Diabetes occurs when there is an absolute deficiency or relative insufficiency in insulin secretion, leading to a state characterized by high blood sugar and various metabolic waste disorders. Such a syndrome can cause damage to multiple organs. The kidneys are a major target organ for damage, and as kidney disease develops, patients may experience proteinuria and potentially progress to renal failure. Therefore, to treat and protect kidney function, it is advised that patients with diabetic nephropathy seek care in the nephrology department of a formal public hospital, where nephrologists can devise a more reasonable treatment plan.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

49sec

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Does diabetic nephropathy hurt?

Diabetic nephropathy generally does not cause painful symptoms. Diabetic nephropathy refers to the kidney damage that results from long-term diabetes, caused by factors such as hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and an increase in advanced glycation end products. In the early stages, patients may experience an increase in kidney size and an increased glomerular filtration rate. As the condition progresses, proteinuria may occur, and it could eventually lead to severe renal failure. Throughout this process, patients typically do not experience pain because the kidneys do not have nerve innervation and therefore do not feel pain. Thus, including diabetic nephropathy, various kidney diseases and nephritis generally do not manifest with pain.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

54sec

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Is diabetic nephropathy dialysis painful?

Whether it is diabetes, nephritis, high blood pressure, or other causes leading to kidney failure, it may eventually progress to uremia. Patients with such conditions need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Generally, patients undergoing any type of dialysis do not experience significant pain symptoms. Dialysis can be divided into hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, both of which use artificial methods to remove metabolic waste from the patient's body and maintain the stability of the internal environment. These methods generally do not involve significant traumatic procedures, so they mostly do not cause notable pain. However, patients undergoing hemodialysis may need temporary needling each time, which causes minimal trauma and typically does not result in severe pain or significant discomfort.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

2min 2sec

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Is diabetic nephropathy stage 3 reversible?

Patients with diabetic nephropathy actually have an irreversible condition. If a patient has developed mild to moderate proteinuria and entered stage three, it's generally because of long-term high blood sugar, oxidative stress, and an excess of glycation end products damaging the capillaries of the glomerulus, resulting in increased permeability and the occurrence of proteinuria. The damage that has already occurred cannot be reversed; however, patients still need active treatment to control their blood sugar and blood pressure in order to slow down the progression of diabetic nephropathy as much as possible. Stage three diabetic nephropathy is incurable, but treatment can slow the progression of the kidney disease, preventing the development from microalbuminuria to macroalbuminuria. Stage three refers to the early period of diabetic nephropathy, typically seen in diabetic patients who have had the disease for more than five years. It can feature a continuous increase in urinary albumin excretion rates. High filtration rates and long-term poor metabolic control may be reasons for the persistent microalbuminuria. During this stage, patients may experience a mild increase in blood pressure, and reducing blood pressure can decrease the excretion of microalbumin. During this period, strict control of blood sugar is necessary. Oral hypoglycemic drugs can be used for treatment, and it's crucial to regularly monitor fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and glycated hemoglobin. Blood pressure should also be actively controlled, generally targeting a value of 130/80mmHg. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists are preferred as they can lower blood pressure, reduce proteinuria, and have a protective effect on the kidneys, thus delaying the progression of kidney disease.

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Written by Pan Wu Shan

Nephrology

1min 7sec

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Can people with diabetic nephropathy drink alcohol?

Diabetic nephropathy, as the name suggests, is a complication caused by diabetes that leads to kidney problems. The typical symptoms of diabetic nephropathy are significant proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. Generally speaking, there is no particularly effective treatment for diabetic nephropathy; it can only be managed by keeping blood sugar and blood pressure under control. For patients with diabetic nephropathy, it is recommended to keep fasting blood glucose below 7, and postprandial glucose should be controlled between 8 and 10, which is considered appropriate. If hypertension is present, blood pressure should be kept below 140/80 mmHg. In terms of diet, patients with diabetic nephropathy definitely should not drink alcohol, and they should avoid sweets, fried foods, and foods high in starch. It is also important not to stay up late.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

51sec

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How is diabetic nephropathy treated?

The treatment of diabetic nephropathy also depends on the specific stage the patient is in. During stages one to three, the main clinical treatments include controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipids. Patients with diabetes often also have these metabolic disorders, including hypertension and hyperlipidemia, which can damage the kidneys. In addition, in the early stages, some medications are often chosen to reduce the pressure on the glomeruli. For example, using ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and inhibitors of the sodium-glucose cotransporter, these drugs can also slow the progression of kidney failure. However, if the patient's condition has progressed to stage five, which is essentially equivalent to the state of uremia, the patient will then need dialysis treatment.