Diabetes

Tags

diabetes mellitus, endocrinology, htn, kidneys, nephrology, nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, sugar

Crucial points related to diabetes include:

– The best care for diabetes is usually provided by a diabetic specialist (endocrinologist).
– The best way to avoid complications of diabetes to have a tight control of the blood sugar.
– If you have burning in your feet from your diabetes, you most likely are having similar damage also occurring in your kidneys and your eyes. Again to avoid complications, you need to keep a very good control of your blood sugar levels.
– Hgb A1C can give you a very good idea of how well you have been controlling your sugar over the last 120 days.
– With diabetes you should avoid Non-steroidal arthritis medications either by prescriptions or over the counter such as advil, motrin, aleve as these can cause damage to your kidneys over extended period of time.
– If you have high blood pressure along with diabetes or if there is a drop in your eGFR ( test of kidney function) at any time, you should also see a nephrologist as to make sure your current treatment is adequate and everything that can be done to protect your kidneys are being done.
– Without life style modification such as weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise control of diabetes will be difficult.

High Blood Pressure

Tags

ace inhibitor, angiotensin, beta blocker, calcium channel blocker, diuretic, htn

Important points about treatment of high blood pressure include:

– Blood pressure obtained at home is often more accurate than that obtained in doctor’s office. The blood pressure measured in doctor’s office can be influenced and be higher because of the white coat effect.

– You can buy a blood pressure cuff from a local pharmacy and these are fairly accurate. You can show your measurements to your doctor during your visit.

– I often find Nephrologist or kidney specialists to be most capable in treating hypertension. Even if you see a cardiologist or an internist, I believe a one time visit to a kidney specialist is certainly worthwhile as to make sure the treatment you are getting for your high blood pressure is appropriate.

– Hypertension combined with diabetes requires very close monitoring as these patients have higher risk of stroke, heart attack, eye, and kidney damage. These patients should also be followed by a nephrologist (kidney specialist) and an endocrinologist (diabetic specialist) to ensure adequate control of both diseases.

– Life style modification is needed in most cases to ensure best results. These include weight loss, smoking cessation, dietary modification, and exercise among others.