A major part of diabetes treatment involves the prevention of complications. Diabetes can cause serious damage to the cardiovascular system, eyes, and kidneys. The earlier the disease can be diagnosed the better because oftentimes the damage is occurring and the person isn't even aware of it.
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: The kidneys remove waste products from the blood and then return it back to the body. Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys can no longer filter these waste products. Diabetes mellitus, a form of the disease that is associated with high blood sugar, is one cause of kidney failure. In due course, these high blood sugar levels damage the millions of tiny filtering units within each kidney. This eventually causes kidney failure.
Vision problems: The most common complications of diabetes involving vision are cataracts and glaucoma. However, diabetic retinopathy can occur which is the most serious complication. This complication, caused by high blood sugar, causes damage to the tiny blood vessels that supply blood to the retina. The vessels swell and leak liquid into the retina, causing blurred vision and sometimes blindness.
Nerve damage: A nerve disorder (diabetic neuropathy) is caused by diabetes. Some nerve damage causes pain. Other nerve damage removes the sensation of pain and causes numbness. Some people have both types of symptoms at the same time. The cause of diabetic neuropathy is unknown but having high glucose levels over a period of years is thought to play a large role.
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: Sexual complications of diabetes are related to the nerve damage that the disease causes. Men may have a problem getting and maintaining an erection or with ejaculation. Women may have problems with vaginal lubrication.
Foot problems: Because of the numbness caused by nerve damage people with diabetes may suffer foot injuries. Foot ulcers are common and perhaps the most serious problem. These can be difficult to heal and in extreme cases amputation may be required. Seeking immediate medical help with foot ulcers is very important.
The causes of long term complications of diabetes are still not fully understood. Predictions can't be made as to who will develop these complications and who will not. They are however, most likely to develop in a person who has had the disease for a long time. Knowing what they are is extremely important because they sometimes occur before before the disease is even diagnosed.
About the Author
The author, John Richmond, has researched the complications of diabetes and has written several other articles about diabetes as well. To read them please go to www.YourDiabetesInfo.com
