Diabetes mellitus results in persistently high levels of blood sugar, namely glucose, from a deficient or faulty response to the hormone, insulin. Diabetes is either insulin-dependent (Type 1), when the problem is a deficiency in insulin production, or non-insulin dependent (Type 2), when there is a faulty response to released insulin. According to the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), there are more than 23 million people living with diabetes in the United States. Diabetes is also among the top 10 causes of disability among adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Persistently high blood glucose levels and other problems arising from faulty response to insulin results in widespread damage in the organs of the body. This damage manifests as various complications of diabetes mellitus.
Complications in the Heart and Blood Vessels
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke make up the number one killer in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes. Furthermore, over 65 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are likely to die from heart disease and stroke. Specific diseases of the heart and blood vessels seen in diabetes include coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral artery disease (PAD), atherosclerosis and hypertension.
Diabetic Neuropathy
According to the American Diabetic Association (ADA), about half of the people with diabetics will have some form of nerve damage, particularly those who have had it for some years. There are several forms of neuropathy (nerve damage) in diabetes. In peripheral neuropathy, the nerves of the hands and feet are affected with pain, tingling, numbness and weakness in the hands or feet. Autonomic neuropathy affects the nerves that supply the internal organs of the body like the intestines, urinary tract, heart and blood vessels, sweat glands and eyes. Gastroparesis is a form of neuropathy affecting the nerve supply to the stomach, leading to slow movement of food through the digestive canal.
Other types of neuropathy listed by the ADA include charcot's joint, cranial neuropathy, compression mononeuropathy, femoral neuropathy, diabetic amyotrophy, thoracic or lumbar radiculopathy and unilateral foot drop.
Diabetic Eye Complications
According to the ADA, most people with diabetes will develop some form of retinopathy, a disorder of the blood vessels of the retina in the eye. This, according to the National Eye Institute, is the most common eye complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness in U.S. adults. Other eye complications of diabetes include glaucoma and cataracts.
Kidney Disease in Diabetes
Diabetes causes gradual kidney damage (nephropathy), progressing to end stage renal disease and kidney failure. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearing House, diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure in the U.S.
The presence of sugar in the urine also increases the chances of urinary tract infections.
Diabetic Complications in Pregnancy and Delivery
Diabetes, according to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Other complications of diabetes include hydramnios, preeclampsia, respiratory distress syndrome, macrosomia and birth defects.
Other Complications
According to the Mayo Clinic, poor blood circulation and damaged nerve supplies can lead to foot complications, increasing the risk of diabetic gangrene and amputations. Other complications of diabetes include erectile dysfunction, fungal and bacterial infections of the skin and mouth, osteoporosis and dementia.
