Final answer:
Diabetic nephropathy is a progressive kidney disease caused by damage to the capillaries in the glomeruli of the kidneys due to long-standing diabetes mellitus. It is often asymptomatic in the early stages and can manifest symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, nausea, frequent urination, and itchy skin later on.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diabetic nephropathy is a progressive kidney disease caused by damage to the capillaries in the glomeruli of the kidneys due to long-standing diabetes mellitus. It is not fully understood how diabetes leads to damage of glomerular capillaries, but it is thought that high levels of glucose in the blood are involved. In people with diabetes, nephropathy is more likely if their blood glucose is poorly controlled. Having high blood pressure, a history of cigarette smoking and a family history of kidney problems are additional risk factors.
Diabetic nephropathy often has no symptoms at first. In fact, it may take up to a decade after kidney damage begins for symptoms to appear. When they do appear, they typically include severe tiredness, headaches, nausea, frequent urination, and itchy skin.