Long-term complications of diabetes
People living with diabetes are strongly advised to keep track of their blood glucose levels and keep it well under control. This is as a result of the complications that can arise from poor managed diabetes – over the long term, this disease affects the body from the brain to the feet.
Although these complications can be frightening at first, managing your condition well can delay them from occurring early, prevent them, or minimise their severity.
These complications include: Diabetic retinopathy (eye related complications): diabetes is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment. The majority of cases are caused by a complication known as diabetic retinopathy. In similar words, damage to the retina. Thus, is very important that people with diabetes take extra care of their eyes.
Symptoms: are you seeing floating spots or almost complete darkness? Do you have a problem when reading, watching tv, seeing at night? Do you have a problem recognising people? Do you have a problem with balance? The bad news is, when these changes occur, the damage may already be severe.
Prevention: the good news is, controlling your blood glucose levels by meeting your targets can either prevent or delay diabetic retinopathy. Also, it is important to regularly check your eyes. I recommend, at least, once every year if you have diabetes.
Foot ulcer complication: foot complication among diabetic people is very serious. Foot ulcer is major complications that lead to not only hospital admission but also amputation, which can lead to death. This usually occurs as a result of nerve cell damage or peripheral vascular disease; both are which complications of diabetes.
Symptoms: a wound on a foot that isn’t healing quickly, foot ulcer, and so on.
Prevention: foot care as recommended by the doctor, controlling blood glucose level and wearing appropriate footwear.
Peripheral vascular disease: peripheral vascular disease is a cardiovascular disease. It is the narrowing of the arteries that go the legs. This causes pain in the legs and decreases the circulation of blood to the legs. As a result, it increase healing times on foot injuries as well as increases the risk of foot infection.
Symptoms: leg pain, leg discomfort in the form of numbness, tingling or coldness, sores on the feet, foot infections, and so on.
Prevention: reduce excess weight, monitor and control blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Neuropathy (nerve damage): nerve damage is common amongst diabetic patients. Over the long-term, diabetes has the ability to damage the nerves in, for example, the legs, feet, hands, arms, and so on.
Symptoms: feeling pain, discomfort, tingling or numbness in the hands, arms, feet, and legs.
Gastroparesis: occurs when foods moves very slowly out of the stomach and into the small intestine as a result of damage to the vagus nerve, which is responsible for controlling the stomach muscles. This damage occurs due to poor control of blood glucose.
Symptoms: bloating, vomiting, erratic glucose control, prolonged fullness
Prevention: Monitor and control blood glucose levels.
Kidney complications (diabetic nephropathy): high blood glucose can damage the nephrons. When this damage is progressive, it can lead to kidney failure including the need for dialysis.
Symptoms: unfortunately, this is a symptomless disease until almost all function is gone.
Prevention: monitoring and controlling blood glucose levels and blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in diet, physical activity and not smoking.
Other complications include cardiovascular disease, skin conditions, Alzheimer’s disease, hearing impairment, and so on.
Folasade Alli
Folasade Alli, Consultant Cardiologist at Lagos Executive
Cardiovascular Clinic
