Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesComplications of AlbuminuriaHow Is Albuminuria Diagnosed?Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Complications of Albuminuria
How Is Albuminuria Diagnosed?
Treatment
Albuminuria, also called proteinuria, is a condition in which albumin—a type of protein found in blood plasma—leaches into the urine. Although very small amounts of protein in urine can be normal, a high level of albumin is one of several indicators ofchronic kidney disease(CKD), a common complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Because albuminuria doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms, people at risk of kidney disease are typically advised to betested regularly for protein in their urinein order to detect the condition. This is so measures can be taken right away to reduce the amount of protein in urine and protect the kidneys from further damage.
This article discusses the symptoms, causes, and diagnosis of albuminuria. It also discusses the treatment of the conditions that can cause albuminuria.
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What Are the Symptoms of Albuminuria?
The only outward signs of excess protein in urine are those that develop in conjunction with chronic kidney disease. There are many symptoms of CKD that can be mistaken for other problems, which is why screening is vital.
Common symptoms of advanced CKD include:
The Classic Signs of Kidney Disease
What Are the Causes of Albuminuria?
Albuminuria can be short term or long term. Some of the short-term problems that can cause albuminuria include:
Long-term conditions that can cause albuminuria include:
Albuminuria is associated with a number of life-threatening health problems. In general, the higher your albumin levels, the greater your risk of developing these complications:
People with albuminuria also have a decreased life expectancy.
Only a couple of tablespoons of urine are necessary. Usually, it will be tested right away using a small plastic dipstick that will change colors in response to the presence of protein. (This initial test can also detect other suspicious substances in urine, such as bacteria, glucose, and blood cells—any of which can be a sign of a medical problem.)
A dipstick test isn’t sensitive enough to detect very small amounts of protein in urine that could indicate the beginning stages of kidney disease—a condition known asmicroalbuminuria. Therefore, the urine sample will be sent to a lab for further analysis—an ACR (albumin-to-creatinine ratio) test.
Most healthcare providers do a urinalysis as part of regular checkups, but it’s especially important that people with diabetes have their urine checked frequently—ideally at least once a year, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
What Is a Urinalysis?
How Is Albuminuria Treated?
There is no treatment for albuminuria itself, as it is not a disease. Rather, it’s a symptom of a condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or kidney disease. The way in which excess protein in urine is treated will depend on the cause.
Lifestyle Changes for Type 2 Diabetes
Treatment for chronic kidney disease associated with diabetes also includes controlling blood glucose levels, as well as taking measures to lowerblood pressure. This includes losing weight, eating less salt, cutting out alcohol, quitting smoking, and increasing activity levels.
Medication is sometimes necessary to treat hypertension; according to the ADA,ACE inhibitorsare the safest choice for treating hypertension in people with diabetes.
The ADA also says that a low-protein diet is sometimes effective for treating kidney disease. If these measures do not head off kidney failure, dialysis or a kidney transplant will be necessary.
Summary
Albuminuria occurs when you have albumin in your urine. Your kidneys usually remove albumin before it can get into your urine, so the condition is a sign that your kidneys aren’t functioning correctly.
A Word From Verywell
If you have diabetes and your urinalysis reveals you have protein in your urine, you have reason to be concerned. However, it’s important to catch what may be the beginning of chronic kidney disease well before it has progressed to the point of causing symptoms of end-stage kidney disease.
With your healthcare provider’s guidance, you can make lifestyle changes and take other measures to keep your kidneys healthy and functioning normally.
What Are Complications of Type 2 Diabetes?
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The American Kidney Fund.Urine test.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic kidney disease basics.Ballermann BJ, Nyström J, Haraldsson B.The glomerular endothelium restricts albumin filtration.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:766689. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.766689Mani A.Albuminuria in hypertensive patients: Where the choice of antihypertensive medications matters: Commentary on “several conventional risk markers suggesting presence of albuminuria are weak among rural africans with hypertension".J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2016;18(1):31-2. doi:10.1111/jch.12660Boorsma EM, Ter Maaten JM, Damman K, et al.Albuminuria as a marker of systemic congestion in patients with heart failure.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(5):368-380. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehac528National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Albuminuria: Albumin in the Urine.American Diabetes Association.Kidney disease (nephropathy).Additional ReadingMedlinePlus.Protein in urine. Sept 5, 2017.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic kidney disease. Feb 2017.National Kidney Foundation.Why are patients asked for urine samples?
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The American Kidney Fund.Urine test.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic kidney disease basics.Ballermann BJ, Nyström J, Haraldsson B.The glomerular endothelium restricts albumin filtration.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:766689. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.766689Mani A.Albuminuria in hypertensive patients: Where the choice of antihypertensive medications matters: Commentary on “several conventional risk markers suggesting presence of albuminuria are weak among rural africans with hypertension".J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2016;18(1):31-2. doi:10.1111/jch.12660Boorsma EM, Ter Maaten JM, Damman K, et al.Albuminuria as a marker of systemic congestion in patients with heart failure.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(5):368-380. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehac528National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Albuminuria: Albumin in the Urine.American Diabetes Association.Kidney disease (nephropathy).Additional ReadingMedlinePlus.Protein in urine. Sept 5, 2017.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic kidney disease. Feb 2017.National Kidney Foundation.Why are patients asked for urine samples?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
The American Kidney Fund.Urine test.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic kidney disease basics.Ballermann BJ, Nyström J, Haraldsson B.The glomerular endothelium restricts albumin filtration.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:766689. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.766689Mani A.Albuminuria in hypertensive patients: Where the choice of antihypertensive medications matters: Commentary on “several conventional risk markers suggesting presence of albuminuria are weak among rural africans with hypertension".J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2016;18(1):31-2. doi:10.1111/jch.12660Boorsma EM, Ter Maaten JM, Damman K, et al.Albuminuria as a marker of systemic congestion in patients with heart failure.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(5):368-380. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehac528National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Albuminuria: Albumin in the Urine.American Diabetes Association.Kidney disease (nephropathy).
The American Kidney Fund.Urine test.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic kidney disease basics.
Ballermann BJ, Nyström J, Haraldsson B.The glomerular endothelium restricts albumin filtration.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:766689. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.766689
Mani A.Albuminuria in hypertensive patients: Where the choice of antihypertensive medications matters: Commentary on “several conventional risk markers suggesting presence of albuminuria are weak among rural africans with hypertension".J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2016;18(1):31-2. doi:10.1111/jch.12660
Boorsma EM, Ter Maaten JM, Damman K, et al.Albuminuria as a marker of systemic congestion in patients with heart failure.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(5):368-380. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehac528
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Albuminuria: Albumin in the Urine.
American Diabetes Association.Kidney disease (nephropathy).
MedlinePlus.Protein in urine. Sept 5, 2017.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic kidney disease. Feb 2017.National Kidney Foundation.Why are patients asked for urine samples?
MedlinePlus.Protein in urine. Sept 5, 2017.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetic kidney disease. Feb 2017.
National Kidney Foundation.Why are patients asked for urine samples?
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