Proteinuria Specialist

What is proteinuria?

Proteinuria, or albuminuria, means there's protein in your urine. Proteins perform vital functions, including building muscle and other tissues, regulating fluid levels, and preventing infection. 

Protein (albumin) is a normal component of your blood, but if it's present in your urine, it indicates there's a problem.

Your kidneys take excess fluid and waste products from your blood, which you then pass as urine. If your kidneys are healthy, proteins and other nutrients return to your blood after going through your kidneys. 

However, protein can leak into your urine if your kidneys aren't working properly, causing proteinuria.

Why would I have proteinuria?

You could have short-term proteinuria because of acute problems like:

• Dehydration
• Severe stress
• Getting extremely cold
• Having a fever
• High-intensity physical exertion

In these cases, proteinuria normally resolves itself when you recover. Long-lasting proteinuria could be due to kidney disease or nephrotic syndrome, which can cause irreversible kidney damage.

What symptoms does proteinuria cause?

You probably won't be aware you have short-term proteinuria as it doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms. However, if your proteinuria is due to kidney problems, you might experience:

• Swelling (edema) of the hands, feet, face, or abdomen
• Bubbly, foamy, or frothy urine
• Frequent urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle cramps during the night

If you develop these symptoms, call Consultants in Kidney Diseases for advice.

How is proteinuria diagnosed?

To diagnose proteinuria, your provider at Consultants in Kidney Diseases performs a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) test. This compares the levels of albumin in your urine to the levels of creatinine (a waste product found in your blood).

A normal UACR test is less than 30 milligrams per gram (mg/g). If you have proteinuria, your UACR is higher than 30 mg/g. A high UACR result is a good indicator of kidney disease.

How is proteinuria treated?

Treating proteinuria involves addressing the underlying cause. For example, if you have diabetes, you can slow the progress of kidney disease by managing your condition properly.

If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), your provider at Consultants in Kidney Diseases might prescribe medications to lower your blood pressure, which slows kidney damage.

Medicines you might need to take include angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). 

These drugs dilate your blood vessels and help your kidneys extract excess fluid from your body. ACE inhibitors and ARBs can slow kidney damage even if you don't have hypertension.

To find out if you have proteinuria and get treatment for any underlying kidney disease, call Consultants in Kidney Diseases today or book an appointment online.