Diabetes Complications

Diabetes Complications

Diabetes complications include:

Eye Damage: (Retinopathy) leading to blindness.
Kidney Damage: (Nephropathy) leading to kidney failure, dialysis and need for kidney transplant.
Nerve Damage: (Neuropathy) leading to ulcers, amputation and impotence (erectile dysfunction or ED).
Bloood vessel damage: (Vasculopathy) leading to heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

One of the problems with diabetes is that the symptoms do not become obvious until complications have set in. This is why prevention and early detection are so important. Here you will learn the emergency and long-term diabetes complications.

Diabetes complications which constitute an emergency include:

• Diabetic nephropathy – kidney problems

• Diabetic neuropathy – nerve problems

• Peripheral vascular disease – circulation problems

• High cholesterol, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and coronary artery disease

When to call your health care provider

Go to the emergency room or call for emergency services (such as 911) if these symptoms of ketoacidosis occur:

• Increased thirst and urination

• Nausea

• Deep and rapid breathing

• Abdominal pain
• Sweet-smelling breath (fruity odor)
• Loss of consciousness

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number if these symptoms of extremely low blood sugar (hypoglycemic coma or severe insulin reaction) occur:

• Weakness
• Drowsiness

• Headache

• Confusion
• Dizziness

• Double vision

• Lack of coordination

• Convulsions or unconsciousness

Diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar coma. What a mouthful! Try saying that three times fast. Coma is a serious complication of type 2 diabetes where there are extremely high blood sugar levels with no ketones. In this condition, the person will appear either confused or unconscious and is extremely dehydrated. Persons with diabetes who do not control their sugar levels, or whose sugar levels have become uncontrolled due to medications or infection may suffer this life-threatening complication. Persons more likely to experience diabetic coma may have some of the following characteristics:

• Older age
• Underlying kidney disease

• Congestive heart failure

• Stopping insulin or other glucose-lowering medications

• Improper management of diabetes -- not following the treatment plan as directed

• A stressful event such as infection, heart attack, stroke, or recent surgery

Symptoms that might occur days or weeks before the actual coma include:

• Weakness

• Increased thirst

• Nausea

• Lethargy

• Confusion

• Convulsions

Vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) are usually out of whack:

• Temperature -- higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit

• Heart rate -- greater than 100 beats per minute

• Systolic blood pressure -- low (less than 100)

This is an emergency and requires immediate hospitalization. The goal of treatment is to correct the dehydration, which will improve the blood pressure, urine output, and circulation. High glucose levels are treated with intravenous insulin. In spite of correct treatment, the rate of death in persons who develop diabetic coma is as high as 40%.

When to seek medical help:
This condition is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY! Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if signs or symptoms of diabetic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar coma develop.

Prevention

Good control of type 2 diabetes, coupled with recognition of early signs of dehydration and infection, can help prevent this condition.

Long-term complicationsDiabetes complications affecting eyes - (Retinopathy) Diabetes complications affecting kidneys - (Nephropathy)

Complications affecting circulation - (Vasculopathy)

Here is a site dedicated to diabetes and discussing the problems it can cause.