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I don’t think it’ll be extremely helpful, as the diagnosis of impaired glucose tolerance typically requires a blood test anyway. According to Wikipedia, impaired glucose tolerance is defined as having “two-hour glucose levels of 140 to 199 mg per dL (7.8 to 11.0 mmol/l) on the 75-g two-hour glucose test.”Blood tests generally have a higher sensitivity and accuracy as urine tests in my opinion, and hence it’s unnecessary to conduct an additional urine test.Urine tests for glucose are also subject to an individual’s renal threshold for glucose, leading to quite a bit of variation.Best to just follow current protocol and do the normal glucose tolerance test.Disclaimer: med student here, not a doctor yet. Do take my answers with a grain of salt, though I strive to be as accurate as possible:) Feel free to correct me.Hope this helps!

“Are kidney problems the main cause of hyperkalemia?”Kidney issues are the most common cause of hyperkalemia. More specifically… acute renal failure, AND CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) are associate with hyperkalemia. But there are other possible causes of the symptom.Addison’s disease (adrenal insufficiency) and Type 1 diabetes mellitus are also associated with hyperkalemia. Other associated issues include loss of red blood cells due to injury or burns, dehydration, and a variety of medications.Meds that can induce hyperkalemia include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta blockers, or excessive use of potassium supplements.

Unfortunately, there are few symptoms of kidney disease; the most obvious one is blood in the urine - but that is possible with several other issues.By the time the more severe and definitive symptoms of kidney failure appear (called End Stage Renal Failure), it’s too late, frankly… at that point, dialysis until a kidney transplant can be performed is the status quo. BUT…There are several simple blood tests she should be getting regularly as part of her ongoing care for her T2 (how often is up to her doc) that can forewarn of problems. The kidneys filter the blood, removing toxins (including excessive glucose) and helping to keep bodily fluids in balance. When they become damaged (elevated BG - Blood Glucose - levels are one source of damage) they will stop working well.The first standard test is an ACR - Albumin to Creatinine Ratio - test. Albumin is a protein present in the blood - if it starts showing up in the urine, it’s an indication that the nephrons of the kidneys are no longer functioning properly, and it’s “leaking” into the urinary tract.After one or two positive ACR tests, a GFR test is performed - Glomerular Filtration Rate test. This test determines what stage of CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) a patient is in. There are five stages. Stage 1 is where there is minor kidney damage; the GFR is at 90% or better; Stage 2 is mild loss of kidney function, from 60% to 89% functionality remains; Stage 3 is moderate loss of function, from 45% to 59% of function remains; Stage 3b is moderate to severe loss of kidney function - from 30% to 44% functionality remains ; Stage 4 is severe loss of kidney function, 15% to 29% of function is all that’s left; Stage 5 is kidney failure, less than 15% functionality remains.For any T2 (Type 2 diabetic) who is not well controlled, these tests are de riguer, and too simple not to have done. But the reality is - ALL diabetics (regardless of type) need to manage their BG (Blood Glucose) all the time - in order to avoid the nasty “complications” of the diseases. Kidney disease is just one (albeit a common one) of the many horrific impairments imposed by elevated BG levels.“Diet” and “Exercise” are the two basic management tools for T2 - AND… ALL T2 meds REQUIRE them to be effective. By “diet”, all that is necessary is limiting carbs to the level the individual’s body can tolerate; T2 is a disease of insulin resistance, aka glucose (which comes primarily from carbohydrates) intolerance. By using a glucose meter, she can learn how many carbs she can tolerate at a given meal, and then limit herself to that level or less; here’s a useful page on how to do that: Test, Review, AdjustOn “exercise” - all we’re talking about is ANY KIND of regular (at least 4 or 5 days a week, at least 30 minutes at a time) physical activity; simply walking around the mall window-shopping will accomplish this. The POINT of exercise is to improve cellular sensitivity to insulin - in short, active cells are insulin-receptive cells. Exercise also “burns off” BG… but the real value is from the improvement in cellular response to insulin.As has already been noted - your friend must decide for herself to take her disease seriously and start managing it; no one else can do it for her. But positive encouragement - especially by joining her for walks/other activities, and engaging her in learning about the disease, can be very helpful. Good Luck!