Do diabetic kidneys deserve a lifestyle change?

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is associated with high cardiovascular and renal risk. Early attempts to slow the progressive loss of renal function in diabetes were successful, particularly using blood pressure and glucose control. Additional but smaller achievements have been made with renin–angiotensin system interventions. However, despite the state-of-the-art treatment of diabetes, the residual risk of renal complications in people with diabetes is high and equals that of treated cancer.1 The search for new treatments has focused on new drugs, but also on lifestyle changes.