The Main Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes can place you at risk for some pretty major complications.  These complications can include kidney failure, blindness foot ulcers and diseases of the heart and blood vessels. 

All diabetics should have an annual eye exam since diabetes increases the risk for eye disease.  Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can damage the tiny blood vessels that supply the retina of the eye.  Macular edema occurs in early diabetic eye disease.  The retina swells because the blood vessels leak and this causes blurry vision. In the late or advanced stage of diabetic eye disease the body produces new abnormal blood vessels on the surface of the retina.  Not only do these abnormal blood vessels not sufficiently supply the retina with blood, they can cause it to detach. 

Kidney failure is another complication of diabetes.  Unfortunately even when you’ve done all you can to control your blood sugars and manage it, diabetes can still lead to kidney disease or failure.   When the kidneys are damaged, they are not able to properly cleanse the blood.   This causes toxins and waste products to build in the blood.   Kidney failure requires treatment.   Either dialysis to filter the blood or they must have a kidney transplant.  

Due to decreased sensations or numbness on the bottoms of the feet caused by poor circulation or nerve damage diabetics need to take good care of their feet. Any trauma or injury to the diabetic foot can become very serious, but the most serious is foot ulcer.  They can also easily become infected.  They sometimes are very slow to heal, if they can be healed at all.  Most diabetic foot ulcers require aggressive medical management.  If they cannot be healed and become seriously infected sometimes amputation is the only choice. 

Of all the complications of diabetes, the most major and the leading cause of death in people with diabetes is heart disease.  The statistics are enormous!  If you have diabetes you are more likely to have heart disease than someone who does not.  2 to 4 times more likely!   Even if you have just been diagnosed with diabetes in later life, and have never had any kind of heart disease your risk just tripled!   The best thing to do is try to control the other factors that put you at risk for heart disease.  Maintain a healthy weight, control your diet, and watch your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.