Diabetes and its complications.

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 and stroke: Those with diabetes are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke which is the biggest cause of death for people with the disease. Diabetes can cause fatty deposits to build up in your arteries which can cause a heart attack. Diabetes can cause blood clots which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Another cause of heart attack and stroke is high blood pressure and those with diabetes are at an increased risk for that as well.

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: Men with diabetes are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than men who do not have the disease. They are also more likely to have it earlier in life. About one third of women with diabetes may experience little or no sexual desire. Women often report a lack of sensation in the genital area, inability to reach orgasm and vaginal dryness resulting in pain or discomfort during sexual relations.

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.