Diabetes may have the same overall effect on blood sugar, but it can concentrate a majority of the damage to one particular area. Such is the case with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). This form of diabetes deals primarily with the kidneys.
This form still involves a large discharge of urine, but unlike diabetes mellitus, this urine does not contain a large amount of glucose. The urine is also diluted and will be accompanied by dehydration and sometimes even incontinence. The other major difference is that it is typically diagnosed as a result of a kidney defect. However, patients are not born with this condition.
There are two primary causes of NDI. One is hypercalcemia, or an elevated level of calcium in the blood. Hypercalcemia is often a result of problems with the parathyroid glands. The other cause is due to lithium toxicity. Lithium, which was once banned by the FDA due to its negative health effects that it had on individuals, is currently used as a primary medication for bipolar disorder.
While there are other causes of NDI, the two previously mentioned are, by far, the most common. In some cases, the condition is hereditary. Besides lithium, there are some other drugs that can cause the condition to form.
In treating this condition, the first course of action is to remain well hydrated, which goes a long way in recovery. Depending on how successful this is for an individual, they may also have to be placed on certain medication to counteract the ill effects.
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