The key to preventing kidney disease in people with both types of diabetes is not smoking, getting regular blood pressure and urine protein tests, and preventing high blood sugar. Often there are no symptoms of the disease until it progresses to the late stages. People can stay in this stage indefinitely or advance to Stage II after many years. Stage II - Small amounts of blood protein known as albumin leak into the urine. This is called microalbuminuria.
Some patients develop high blood pressure.
The kidneys continue to lose the ability to filter waste. Many people are first diagnosed with kidney disease at this stage. In this stage large amounts of urine are passed through the kidneys and high blood pressure almost always occurs. Stage V - The ability of the kidneys to filter waste almost stops. Kidney dialysis or transplants are treatment options.