When a person has diabetes, they have high levels of blood sugar. If glucose levels remain high, many health issues can arise. Managing these levels can reduce the risk of excess blood sugar causing damage across the body.
Getting an early diagnosis of diabetes, as well as following a treatment plan that involves regular medical care, lifestyle changes, and medication, can help limit the effects of diabetes.
This article looks at some of the long-term complications of diabetes and how to prevent them.
Find out here how to recognize the common symptoms of diabetes.
Glucose, or blood sugar, is the main energy source for the human body. It comes from the food people eat. The hormone insulin helps the cells of the body convert glucose into fuel.
In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks cells in the pancreas and stops them from making insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to make insulin or the insulin does not work as it should.
In both types of diabetes, the amount of sugar in the blood becomes higher than it should be.
Type 2 is more common. It develops over time and is often related to a lack of exercise, an unhealthful diet, or obesity, though other factors may also predispose a person to develop it. Type 1 is usually genetic and
Both types of diabetes can cause a variety of damage to the body if a person does not control the condition.
High blood glucose levels can cause damage to all parts of the cardiovascular system. For this reason, there is a close link between diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
Excess blood sugar decreases the elasticity of blood vessels and causes them to narrow, impeding blood flow. This can lead to a reduced supply of blood and oxygen, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and damage to large and small blood vessels.
Damage to large blood vessels is known as macrovascular disease, while microvascular disease refers to damage to small blood vessels.
Complications from macrovascular disease include:
Microvascular disease can also lead to problems with the:
- nervous system
A person with diabetes can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and circulatory problems by:
- managing blood sugar levels
- quitting smoking
- managing blood pressure and lipids
- using prescription medications, such as statin drugs, to lower cholesterol
- monitoring blood pressure
- exercising regularly
- eating a fiber-rich diet
These drugs can reduce the risk of high blood sugar and cardiovascular disease. They also work to decrease weight, lower blood pressure, reduce systemic inflammation, and improve cardiac function.
These drugs can also reduce the risk of chronic kidney disease progression. A doctor may also prescribe them to treat atherosclerosis with no relation to heart failure.
The cardiovascular system
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease is the
The CDC add that people with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have a stroke or die of some form of heart disease than those without diabetes.
People with diabetes also tend to develop more serious heart problems at an earlier age than people without the condition.
An unhealthful diet and a lack of exercise are risk factors for both cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Wounds and infections
A person with diabetes should check their skin regularly for wounds and see their doctor if they have any signs of an infection, including redness, swelling, or fever.
Neuropathy, or nerve damage, is a common complication of diabetes. About
More than half of people living with diabetes will eventually get the condition.
Neuropathy can affect any part of the nervous system, including the nerves that control autonomic or involuntary functions, such as digestion.
However, the most common form is peripheral neuropathy. This causes pain and numbness in the extremities, specifically the legs, feet, and toes, arms, hands, and fingers.
Neuropathy can also affect the hips and upper legs.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says that up to
The loss of sensation t