Diabetes: The Silent Cost
by Admin | February 10, 2009 | In Diabetics | No Comments
Diabetes can have complications that affect your body so silently and gradually that you may not even realize what is happening until it is too late. In fact, for some people, it is only when a problem arises that the underlying source of the problem—diabetes—is discovered. When diabetes is diagnosed early and properly controlled, however, these complications can be greatly minimized.
Diabetes complications have their start in the changes diabetes causes in the smaller blood vessels of the body, and in the nervous system. Complications affect the eyes, the kidneys, the nerves, and the heart. Generally, the longer you had been a diabetic before being diagnosed, the longer you have had diabetes in all, and the less control you have over your diabetes, the greater your risk for complications, though no doctor can predict with absolute accuracy who will and who will not develop complications.
Heart disease is the most common and perhaps most dangerous complication of diabetes. Diabetic patients develop heart disease twice as often as non-diabetic patients. In addition to controlling their disease, diabetics can control other risk factors that can cause heart disease, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol), cigarette smoking, and excessive weight or obesity. Reducing any of these additional risk factors will lessen the likelihood of heart disease.
Kidney disease is another complication of diabetes. As with heart disease, controlling diabetes helps to avoid complications from kidney damage and kidney disease. Another risk factor for kidney disease is hypertension, or high blood pressure. Monitoring your blood pressure and maintaining it at a healthy level can help prevent kidney disease and other complications.
Blurry vision is a common problem among diabetes patients, though proper blood sugar control can go along way toward eliminating that problem. Diabetes can threaten your vision in several other ways. If you have diabetes you are at greater risk for glaucoma and cataracts. Diabetic retinopathy is another well documented complication that may affect patients. It is essential for all diabetics to have regular eye examinations and to keep their blood glucose level stable if they wish to avoid eye problems. Many eye problems can be avoided or eliminated all together with proper diabetes control.
Peripheral vascular disease, or disease of the veins not in the heart or brain, is another problem that people with diabetes have to guard against. Diabetes affects the nerves and blood vessels in the legs and feet, and can lead to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from diabetes). Diabetic neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease can lead to serious complications and possibly even amputation. Again, proper care and control of diabetes is your best line of defense.
Because of poor circulation, patients with diabetes are prone to oral and skin infections. Any cut, scratch, injury, or sore that is not healing well or promptly should be immediately brought to the attention of your physician or other health care provider. Left unchecked, such infections can be quite serious, even life threatening.