When health problems are identified early, there are often steps you can take to protect yourself and keep your body in good health. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, one disease of particular concern is kidney disease.
A urine microalbumin test can help detect kidney problems.
The kidneys filter the blood. They retain substances that the body needs and excrete waste products through the urine. Protein (such as albumin) is usually the substance that the kidneys will keep. Albumin is the building block that promotes healing in the body. However, if the kidneys are not working properly, albumin will begin to leach into the urine.
The urine microalbumin test measures the amount of albumin in the urine. Often, the amount of albumin in the urine is extremely low or completely absent, so the presence of large amounts of albumin in the urine may be a sign of kidney disease. Early detection can help change treatment and prevent more serious disease.