Internal Medicine: Open Access
Open Access

Diabetic nephropathy: A multi prong approach to its diagnosis and treatment

International Conference on Internal Medicine

October 31-November 02, 2016 San Francisco, USA

Pedro Blandon

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, USA

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Intern Med

Abstract :

Diabetic nephropathy affects one third of all diabetics. Evidence has shown that a multi prong approach usually started at the primary care level decreases but does not completely eliminate this problem. It is important for patients to be informed of this silent complication at every stage of the disease since damage is mostly irreversible when physical symptoms are noticed. Nephrologists are usually consulted late when the eGFR is 30 or less and at that point, the management of complications such as anemia, hypertension and bone and mineral metabolism disorders, along with preparation for dialysis is the tasks at hand. We will present a strategy to help patients and primary care physicians develop a partnership in aborting the progressive renal damage that ends up in renal replacement therapy, a life changing and very expensive proposition. Diabetic and blood pressure control, avoidance of nephrotoxic drugs, detection of reversible renal damage that may coexist with diabetes are at the core of this strategy. Many patients when confronted with possibility of dialysis start paying more attention to their neglected diabetes care. This places the Nephrologist in a privileged position when addressing the above named interventions, as such the astute clinician works with patient, primary care and consultants in the management of several of these complications. It is not uncommon for patients to become funded or insured until they start dialysis and nephrologists round on these patients on weekly basis, allowing for a continuous feedback loop that encourages them to prevent additional diabetic complications.

Biography :

Pedro Blandon has completed his MD at University of Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico in 1996, Internal Medicine Residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, TX in 2000 and Nephrology Fellowship at University of New Mexico in 2002. He was the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency program from 2009 to 2015 at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX. He has published papers in protein turnover in dialysis patients, chronic kidney disease in third world countries and most recently profiles of GI diseases in urinary metabolomics.

Email: pedro.blandon@ttuhsc.edu