Diabetic Kidney Disease: Goals for Management, Prevention, and Awareness

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is diagnosed on the basis of reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR), increased albuminuria, or both, is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) worldwide. Future projections anticipate a significant increase in diabetes cases, with close to 700 million diabetes patients internationally by the year 2045. Amidst ongoing research into novel biomarkers and therapeutic agents for DKD, the current clinical preventative strategy for DKD involves (1) intensive glycemic control, (2) treatment of associated co-morbidities (hypertension and hyperlipidemia), and (3) instruction on lifestyle modifications, including smoking cessation, exercise, and dietary habits. In addition to these three categories, patient education on renal injury, a fourth category, is equally important and necessary in the collaborative effort to reduce global rates of DKD. In this entry, authors highlight and discuss these four core categories for DKD prevention.