00:00So, protein showed up on your urine tests.
00:03Should you be worried or can you safely ignore it?
00:08Sometimes, protein in the urine is temporary,
00:12occurring after strenuous exercise or fever or dehydration.
00:18But when it persists, it may be one of the earliest signs of kidney damage,
00:24even when your kidney function and blood tests still appear normal.
00:31It can often signal a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
00:37In this video, I'll explain what causes protein to enter the urine,
00:43what the numbers mean, and what you should do if your result is abnormal.
00:50Urine can contain several kinds of protein.
00:53The protein doctors most often measure is albumin
00:58because increased albumin excretion is a sensitive marker of damage to the kidney's filtering system.
01:08Albumin can get into the urine when the tiny filters in your kidneys become damaged and start to leak.
01:17This can often occur in autoimmune diseases or chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension.
01:26Protein can also show up when the kidney tubules are damaged.
01:30These tubules normally take back proteins that pass through the filters.
01:38If they're not working properly, some of the protein ends up in the urine.
01:45Sometimes, there's simply too much of a particular protein in the blood for the kidneys to handle.
01:52This can happen with antibody proteins as in multiple myeloma or with myoglobin released in serious muscle injury.
02:01Not every protein in the urine is abnormal.
02:05The kidneys normally release a protein called uromodulin, which helps prevent urinary tract infection and performs other kidney functions.
02:15So, how do doctors measure albumin in the urine?
02:18They usually use a test called the urine albumin to creatinine ratio or UACR.
02:27This test helps correct for whether your urine is very concentrated or very diluted.
02:33A result below 30 is considered normal to mildly increase.
02:40A result between 30 and 300 is moderately increased.
02:46And a result above 300 is severely increased.
02:51A regular urine dipstick may miss smaller amounts of albumin.
02:56That is why the UACR is usually the better test for finding early kidney damage.
03:02But don't panic over one abnormal result.
03:05Exercise, fever, dehydration, infection, menstruation, and other short-term illnesses can temporarily increase the amount of albumin in your urine.
03:18Your doctor will usually repeat the test before deciding that there is an ongoing problem.
03:26So, as you can see, protein in the urine can have tremendous significance and can signal an increased long-term
03:36risk that may prompt further evaluation and management.
03:42The important thing to remember is that protein in the urine should not be ignored.
03:48But one abnormal result does not necessarily mean that you have kidney disease.
03:55If the protein remains elevated, treating the cause can often bring it down and help protect your kidneys and your
04:04heart.
04:06That may mean controlling your blood pressure or your diabetes, reducing salt, managing your weight, taking the right medication, or
04:17avoiding medications that may harm your kidneys.
04:20So, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, reduced kidney function, or another risk factor for kidney disease, ask your
04:32doctor about the urine albumin to creatinine ratio.
04:36It is a simple test, but it may uncover kidney damage before your regular blood tests do.
04:45I hope you found the video useful.
04:47If you did, like and share the video with your friends and family.
04:51You can support this channel by subscribing.
04:54Until the next video, stay healthy and stay safe.
