Endstage renal failure in diabetes type II - a silent epidemic

Endstage renal failure in patients with type II diabetes has become, or wil l become, the leading cause of endstage renal failure in different countrie s with Western life style. The incidence of the proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus, mostly type II, amongst patients admitted for renal rep lacement therapy, is continuously on the rise, and somewhat less so the pre valence of diabetic patients on renal replacement therapy. The discrepancy is due to the higher mortality in diabetic patients as compared to non-diab etic patients. The causes for the increase comprises of increasing prevalen ce of type II diabetes in the population, better survival in diabetic patie nts with nephropathy, and other factors. Efforts to stem this medical catas trophy will necessitate (i) information of the medical community: about the renal risk of type II diabetes and the striking effectiveness of preventiv e measures, (ii) implementation of better care of the diabetic patient, and (iii) efforts to reduce the high prevalence of diabetes in the population.