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Complications of type 2 diabetes
If you've been told you have type 2 diabetes, you may be worried about what
lies ahead. Diabetes is a serious disease, but millions of people with diabetes
live long, healthy, and full lives. All you need to be aware of the serious
medical complications that diabetes can cause. Although they are very serious,
these problems may be delayed, reduced, or even prevented. You can decrease
your risk for serious complications, if you work closely with your healthcare
team to manage your diabetes.
Complications:
Diabetes may lead to several long-term problems:
Eye Damage:
Diabetes can damage the blood vessels that supply blood to the eye and this
condition, called diabetic retinopathy, is the leading cause of new cases
of blindness in adults. Diabetic retinopathy often has no early warning
signs. It is advisable to consult your doctor if you experience blurred
vision, floaters and flashes in your sight, or a sudden loss of vision.
It has been noticed that people those who have diabetes are more likely
to develop glaucoma, (a disorder that causes pressure to build up in the
eye), compared to people without diabetes. This can result in partial or
complete loss of vision. Also, cataracts, or a clouding of the lens of the
eye, are more common in persons with diabetes.
Kidney Damage:
You may have kidney problem if you have diabetes, called nephropathy. In
a healthy person, the kidneys help the body filter waste from the blood.
However, high blood glucose levels may eventually cause tiny blood vessels
in the kidneys to become blocked and leaky. Which results, the kidneys lose
their ability to filter waste from the blood. Blocked blood vessels cause
harmful waste to stay in the blood, while leaky vessels may cause the loss
of many proteins and nutrients that should stay in the blood. It has been
estimated that diabetes is responsible for 44% of serious kidney disease
requiring dialysis. There are chances of getting kidney damage without being
aware of it because there usually are no specific symptoms of kidney disease
until major kidney damage has occurred. However, there are certain early
signs or risk factors for you and your health professional to watch for:
High blood pressure or a family history of high blood pressure
Protein in the urine
Burning or difficulty during urination
Certain tests can help to detect kidney damage at an early stage. There
are also special treatments that may help to delay kidney failure.
Nerve Damage:
Diabetes may also cause nerve damage. As many as 70% of people with diabetes
have some form of nerve damage, or diabetic neuropathy. This condition can
affect internal organs and blood vessels, and it can also damage the nerves
in your muscles, feet, and legs. Some symptoms of nerve damage includes
Dizziness and unsteadiness, Nausea, vomiting, constipation, Decreased sexual
function, Muscle weakness in the legs, Tingling, burning, or numbness in
the feet or hands, Pain in the feet or legs, Decreased pain sensation and
loss of feeling in the feet. In combination with poor circulation, severe
nerve damage, when left untreated, can result in amputation. In fact, diabetes
is a leading cause of foot amputation. Checking your feet daily and wearing
comfortable, well-fitting shoes and socks are important to keeping your
feet healthy.
Heart Disease:
People with diabetes are at an increased risk for heart attack, problems
related to poor circulation, and are 2 to 4 times more likely to have a
stroke than are people without diabetes. Moreover poor circulation, in combination
with nerve damage, frequently results in foot ulcers and other foot problems.
Chest pain, shortness of breath, feeling tired and dizzy, and a rapid or
irregular heartbeat are the signs of heart disease. If you may have none,
one, or all of these signs of heart disease then call your doctor immediately,
because there are few warning signs associated with atherosclerosis and
other types of heart disease, it is important to take every opportunity
to lower your risk. Taking Actos can reduce your complications of heart
disease.
The best ways to lower your risk for diabetes complications are:
Eat a balanced diet
Be physically active
Take medications as prescribed by your doctor
Stop smoking
Control your blood glucose, blood lipid, and blood pressure levels.
Tell your health professional if you have one or more of the following signs
or symptoms:o Vision problems
- Tiredness
- Numbness or tingling feelings in hands or feet
- Repeated infections or slow healing of wounds
- Chest pain
Although you should be careful not to blame every health problem on your
diabetes, you need to be aware of the possible medical problems. Do not
ignore if you think you are experiencing a diabetes-related health problem.
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