What Are The Complications Of Diabetes?
Diabetes care, to a large degree, is minimizing and preventing complications. Serious long term complications of diabetes such as heart disease, kidney disease, neuropathy, eye problems, peripheral vascular disease and others can cause serious and permanent damage. Diabetes sufferers need to be vigilant and close medical supervision is mandatory to prevent these problems from occurring or getting out of control.
Heart disease: This is the most frequently observed complication of diabetes. Heart disease is the leading cause of death associated with the disease. Chronic high blood sugar causes narrowing of the arteries, higher levels of triglycerides, lower levels of good (HDL) cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart attack. Adults with diabetes have heart disease rates about 2 times higher than those who do not.
Kidney failure: This complication of diabetes affects about 100,000 people in the U.S. Kidney failure is caused by diabetes in about 40 percent of all cases diagnosed. Kidney disease and kidney failure can occur even when the disease is thought to be under control with drugs, diet and exercise.
Vision problems: While many vision problems related to diabetes can be corrected early in the disease, complications can be much more severe long term. Blurred vision can occur because of changing glucose levels which affect the lens of the eye causing it to swell. Glaucoma and cataracts are frequent complications of diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy, a disease of the retina is also a concern and, people with diabetes are more likely to become blind that those who never get it.
Nerve damage: Numbness, pain and weakness due to nerve damage is a complication of diabetes. This often occurs in the legs, feet, arms and hands. The heart, digestive tract, and other organs can also have damage.
Infections: Your ability to fight infection is diminished when you have diabetes. Typical areas of infection are bladder, kidneys, gums, feet, and skin. Vaginal infections are common in women with diabetes. Having high blood sugar causes bacteria to grow and infections can develop much faster.
Sexual problems: Those with diabetes tend to have more sexual dysfunction than those who do not. Psychological problems related to dealing with the disease can play a role. Medications taken to control the disease can have an impact too. In men, nerve damage caused by the disease can result in various levels of erectile dysfunction. Women commonly have problems with lubrication, lack of desire and being predisposed to chronic vaginal infections may also interfere with normal sexual pleasures.
Foot problems: A typical complication of diabetes is foot injuries. Diabetes damages the nerves so damage to the feet may go unnoticed. Foot ulcers may develop which can easily become infected and difficult to heal. It is important for a person with diabetes to take care of their feet by keeping them clean, protecting them from heat an cold and wearing shoes and socks as much as possible.
While your doctor, dietitian, and others involved in your diabetes care will encourage and help you, the patient must take the initiative in avoiding the complications of diabetes. Make sure you take good care of yourself to prevent and minimize them because they are, to a large degree, preventable.
Heart disease: This is the most frequently observed complication of diabetes. Heart disease is the leading cause of death associated with the disease. Chronic high blood sugar causes narrowing of the arteries, higher levels of triglycerides, lower levels of good (HDL) cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart attack. Adults with diabetes have heart disease rates about 2 times higher than those who do not.
Kidney failure: This complication of diabetes affects about 100,000 people in the U.S. Kidney failure is caused by diabetes in about 40 percent of all cases diagnosed. Kidney disease and kidney failure can occur even when the disease is thought to be under control with drugs, diet and exercise.
Vision problems: While many vision problems related to diabetes can be corrected early in the disease, complications can be much more severe long term. Blurred vision can occur because of changing glucose levels which affect the lens of the eye causing it to swell. Glaucoma and cataracts are frequent complications of diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy, a disease of the retina is also a concern and, people with diabetes are more likely to become blind that those who never get it.
Nerve damage: Numbness, pain and weakness due to nerve damage is a complication of diabetes. This often occurs in the legs, feet, arms and hands. The heart, digestive tract, and other organs can also have damage.
Infections: Your ability to fight infection is diminished when you have diabetes. Typical areas of infection are bladder, kidneys, gums, feet, and skin. Vaginal infections are common in women with diabetes. Having high blood sugar causes bacteria to grow and infections can develop much faster.
Sexual problems: Those with diabetes tend to have more sexual dysfunction than those who do not. Psychological problems related to dealing with the disease can play a role. Medications taken to control the disease can have an impact too. In men, nerve damage caused by the disease can result in various levels of erectile dysfunction. Women commonly have problems with lubrication, lack of desire and being predisposed to chronic vaginal infections may also interfere with normal sexual pleasures.
Foot problems: A typical complication of diabetes is foot injuries. Diabetes damages the nerves so damage to the feet may go unnoticed. Foot ulcers may develop which can easily become infected and difficult to heal. It is important for a person with diabetes to take care of their feet by keeping them clean, protecting them from heat an cold and wearing shoes and socks as much as possible.
While your doctor, dietitian, and others involved in your diabetes care will encourage and help you, the patient must take the initiative in avoiding the complications of diabetes. Make sure you take good care of yourself to prevent and minimize them because they are, to a large degree, preventable.
Source...