[KIDNEY DISEASE IN DIABETIC PATIENTS – THE ROLE OF FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN]

The alarming rates of diabetes mellitus incidence and progression continue despite deployment of all current treatments. Kidney disease can be a particularly devastating complication, as it is associated with significant reductions in both length and quality of life. A variety of forms of kidney disease can be seen in people with diabetes, including diabetic nephropathy, ischemic damage related to vascular disease and hypertension, as well as other renal diseases that are unrelated to diabetes. Following an extensive PubMed search, this review provides a brief view on the screening for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in people with diabetes, how to treat them to slow down the progression of CKD and when to refer them to specialist care. This review also emphasizes the basic challenge in treating diabetic patients, which is to shift the main criterion from the disease-oriented to person-centered approach in the context of treating the patient as a whole.