Treatments for Kidney Disease
Self-care
Important treatments for kidney disease are tight control of blood glucose and blood pressure.
Blood pressure has a dramatic effect on the rate at which the disease progresses. Even a mild rise in blood pressure can quickly make kidney disease worsen.
Four ways to lower your blood pressure are
losing weight,
eating less salt,
avoiding alcohol and tobacco,
and getting regular exercise.
Drugs
When these methods fail, certain medicines may be able to lower blood pressure.
There are several kinds of blood pressure drugs, however, not all are equally good for people with diabetes.
Some raise blood glucose levels or mask some of the symptoms of low blood glucose. Doctors usually prefer people with diabetes to take blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors.
ACE inhibitors are recommended for most people with diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.
Recent studies suggest that ACE inhibitors, which include captopril and enalapril, slow kidney disease in addition to lowering blood pressure. In fact, these drugs are helpful even in people who do not have high blood pressure.
Diet
Another treatment some doctors use with macroalbuminuria is a low-protein diet. Protein seems to increase how hard the kidneys must work.
A low-protein diet can decrease protein loss in the urine and increase protein levels in the blood. Never start a low-protein diet without talking to your healthcare team.
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