Sunday, January 15, 2012

5 Complications of Diabetes Mellitus


Diabetes is not well managed in the long run can cause various problems (complications). High blood glucose levels continuously over the years eventually damage organs. Almost all organs can be affected by chronic diabetes: heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, nervous system, etc..


Here are 5 types of complications caused by diabetes:


1. Cardiovascular disease.


People with diabetes are more at risk of contracting the disease cardiovascular two to four times higher than the general population. The risk of cardiovascular complications is dependent on age, genetic factors, as well as the presence or absence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia (excess cholesterol), and smoking habits.


Diabetes contributes to heart disease. Over time, high levels of glucose in the blood causes blood clotting and increase the risk of clogged arteries near the heart (heart attack), brain (stroke) or feet (gangrene).

2. Kidney disease (nephropathy).

Kidney tissue is composed of many tiny blood vessels that form a filter that removes toxins and wastes role of the blood. Chronic diabetes can cause small blood vessels were damaged. Diabetes also makes the kidneys work harder to filter out excess blood glucose levels that are not absorbed due to insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. In the end, the kidneys can be damaged gradually, starting from hyperfiltrasi (kidney swelling due to working too hard), microalbuminuria (damage to the membrane filter so that most of the protein into the blood and urine), and eventually kidney failure.

The risk of renal impairment increased when people with diabetes also have high blood pressure/hypertension.


3. Nerve disease (neuropathy).
The quality of poor blood circulation due to diabetes in the long run can damage nerve tissue. Damage to the nervous system the most obvious and common in the feet and legs are usually marked tingling, loss of sensation (numbness) or pain in your toes, then rose gradually until limb. If the foot is numb, you should frequently inspect your feet, because it is very likely you do not feel anything if there is wound in the foot (eg due to punctured the glass). When the wound became extensive ulcers, may be the only treatment is amputation.

Neuropathy can also affect the nerves that control digestion, blood pressure, heart rate and sexual organs (causing impotence).


4. Eye Disease.
Diabetes can cause damage to organs so that the eye is blurred or lost vision (blind). Eye disease due to diabetes include:
  • Retinopathy: damage to blood vessels in the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.
  • Cataracts: lens fouling. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in diabetics.
  • Glaucoma: increased pressure of fluid inside the eye that causes damage to the optic nerve and vision loss.

 People with diabetes are nearly two times more likely to develop glaucoma than other adults.

5. Susceptibility to infection.
People with diabetes tend to experience more frequent infections and more severe than the common people, including infections refractory to the skin, gums, respiratory tract, vagina and bladder. This is because there is a typical relationship between infection with diabetes. Sugar is a good medium for rapid growth and abundance of bacterial infection. In addition, high blood sugar interfere with the movement of phagocytes cells to kill germs.

Prevention and Control Complications

People with diabetes can prevent or at least slow the progression of complications over the monitor and control three factors: blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
  • Control Blood Sugar. Wherever possible to control blood glucose at normal or near normal levels according to your doctor's advice.
  • Control of blood pressure. Control your blood pressure to normal or near normal. Normal blood pressure prevents damage to the eyes, kidneys and cardiovascular system. Check your blood pressure regularly.
  • Control of cholesterol. Make sure your blood cholesterol is always normal or near normal. This is to prevent heart disease, the main problem in diabetics.

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