Diabetic Have Low BP. Feeling Weak, Swelling And Pain In Legs. Has Albumin And Pus Cells In Urine

Posted on Sun, 14 Jul 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 14 Jul 2013 Answered on

Thu, 8 Aug 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi, My mother is 82 years old and is diabetic. Her BP is very low (90/60), she is felling very weak and has swelling and pain in her legs. Her liver function, kidney function tests were normal but she has slight albumin and pus cells in urine. What could be the cause? Thank You

Answered by Dr. Dr. Basheer Ahamed (3 hours later)

Hello,

Welcome to XXXXXXX thanks for your query.

Blood pressure is low in your mother and it falls under the category of Hypotension.

This might have caused the Pedal edema(Swelling of the legs due to venous stasis.

She may be running into cardiac failure if the Blood pressure is not corrected.

Presence of Albumin and Pus cells indicates that she is suffering from proteins through urine(Albumin) which causes hypoproteinemia in the blood which causes pedal edema.

Her proteins need to be corrected.

She need to be treated with antibiotics for UTI.

Hope the answer helps you.
Pleased to answer other queries.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Basheer Ahamed (6 hours later)

Hi Dr. Basheer,

Thank you for your advice. I just wanted to ask you what is the best way to increase protein in her diet. She is a pure vegetarian and paneer and soya do not suit her.

Also, once the UTI is cured and her protein intake is satisfactory, will the edema be cured as well?

Best Regards,

XXXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Basheer Ahamed (6 hours later)

Hello,

This lose of protein cannot be corrected by oral intake alone. It needs to be corrected with Parenteral nutrition(Intravenous) depending upon the amount of loss.

If the albumin in the urine is due to UTI then it will subside once the infection is cured and the protein levels come to normal.

If the albumin is due to damage in the kidney(Diabetic nephropathy) then it is likely to stay.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar