Causes

Diabetic nephropathy results when diabetes damages blood vessels and other cells in your kidneys.

How the kidneys work

Your kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) that filter waste from your blood. Severe damage to these blood vessels can lead to diabetic nephropathy, decreased kidney function and kidney failure.

Diabetic nephropathy causes

Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Over time, poorly controlled diabetes can cause damage to blood vessel clusters in your kidneys that filter waste from your blood. This can lead to kidney damage and cause high blood pressure.

High blood pressure can cause further kidney damage by increasing the pressure in the delicate filtering system of the kidneys.