Diabetes Long-Term Complications

Posted by editor2 on Thursday 26 Mar 2009

In the long run uncontrolled diabetes can lead to various health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, retinopathy, blindness, amputations, kidney disease, and nerve damage. Regular checkups and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with balanced diet and exercises is very important throughout the life of a person with diabetes.

Heart disease and stroke

Over a period of time, diabetes can have a very big impact on the heart and blood vessels. The people with diabetes are at high risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure and these problems can occur at a younger age than they do in people without diabetes, and they are more deadly. Heart disease and associated complications are the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.

Neuropathy

Diabetes can damage the nerves and it causes a complication called neuropathy. This usually effects sensation in the toes and fingers. Eventually, the disease moves up the arms or legs. Numbness, abnormal blood pressure, burning sensations, loss of sensitivity to warmth or cold, tingling, weakness, problems with bowel and bladder control, bone deformity in foot and impotence in men are some of the symptoms associated with this situation.

It affects legs and feet

Diabetic patients are at risk for blood vessel injury, which may be severe enough to cause tissue damage in the legs and feet. If it is because of nerve damage, then the person may not be aware of the injuries that have occurred in their feet or legs. In such cases, minor infections often develop into deep tissue injuries that can require surgery. In severe cases, amputation of the limb or foot may be necessary. Foot care is very essential to prevent the need for amputation.

Kidney disease

The kidneys clean and filter the blood. But excessive glucose in the blood causes a strain on them and this can actually lead to kidney failure in the long run.

Eye problems

Diabetes is the main reason for blindness in adults and the most common eye disorder is retinopathy. This condition is induced by the excessive amount of glucose present in the bloodstream, which damages and weakens the blood vessels. A weakened blood vessel may bulge out or may even rupture, leaking blood and fluid into the surrounding tissues. Any of these can cause vision problems.