Kidney damage in diabetes prevented by new drugs?

New drugs protect the kidneys in diabetes
In the course of diabetes, diabetes often develops into severe kidney damage, which often has fatal consequences. A new group of drugs could potentially prevent kidney damage in the future. Scientists at Leipzig University Hospital have surprisingly found that the damage to the kidneys could be avoided by so-called SGLT2 inhibitors.

For those affected, the widespread disease diabetes is associated with many risks. "Among the side effects of elevated blood sugar levels include, besides cardiovascular damage and circulatory disorders with functional limitations of the eyes and legs, among other things, damage to the kidneys," reports the Leipzig University Hospital. Their consequences are often deadly, but thanks to the new drug group, kidney damage could possibly be prevented in the future.

Kidney damage is relatively common in diabetes, but thanks to a new drug, it may be avoided. (Image: ag visual / fotolia.com)

Kidney damage is a high risk
About 40 percent of diabetics require dialysis as a result of kidney problems, and "50 percent of dialysis-related diabetics die within the first two dialysis years," according to the University Hospital's report. In addition, the long-term consequences on the kidneys are only very limited treatable. If the kidney function is so disturbed that the blood must be artificially cleaned, this means great burdens for those affected and a poor prognosis for the course of the disease, explain the Leipzig experts. However, thanks to the new group of substances, this may have been a decisive step towards improving the situation.

Maintain kidney function as long as possible
With the number of diabetics, the number of people whose kidneys are affected by the permanently elevated blood sugar levels, so that irreversible damage occurs. The aim of the therapy is therefore "to protect the kidneys as early as possible and to maintain the kidney function as long as possible," explains Professor Tom Lindner, kidney specialist at the University Hospital Leipzig. Above all, a proper blood sugar control and the control of blood pressure are crucial to reduce the risk of kidney damage.

SGLT2 inhibitors with surprisingly positive effects
If it is not possible to avoid organ damage, the treatment options are very low. "There is no direct therapy for diabetic kidney disease," says Prof. Lindner. However, kidney damage could be significantly better avoided by using the new drug, which is used to control blood sugar and block the transport mechanism by blocking the transport of sugar through the kidneys. "Recent studies now surprisingly show that with the help of these SGLT2 inhibitors, we can reduce cardiovascular mortality and even slow down the progressive deterioration of kidney function," explains the nephrologist.

The positive effects of the drug appear after a few months and according to the expert, they offer great opportunities to make the previously irreversible kidney damage better treatable. "That gives us hope, even though we are of course still in the beginning and need to first understand well, how exactly these effects have come about," said the Leipzig expert. (Fp)