Diabetes is a group of diseases affecting a person's blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is the main source of energy for cells making up a person's muscles and tissue, describes MayoClinic.com. A diabetic has too much glucose in his blood which can causes major health complications and disorders. As of 2010, there are 23.6 million people in the U.S. suffering from diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. A large number, 5.7 million people, are undiagnosed and not aware they are diabetic. Disorders associated with diabetes may become life threatening if not treated.
Foot Ulcers
Diabetics present a high risk for foot disorders and complications including foot ulcers. Decreased sensation in the lower extremities proves common in diabetics due to neuropathy, or nerve damage. MayoClinic.com reports nerve damage results from the excess amount of sugar in the blood. Too much blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the foot resulting in decreased sensation and numbness. Patients do not recognize foot pain caused by a small cut or blister, so it will go untreated leading to infection and formation of an ulcer. Diabetics have poor circulation adding to decreased healing time of the wound. The foot ulcer may lead to amputation, if left untreated. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians the risk of lower extremity amputation ranges between 15 and 46 percent higher in diabetics than in non-diabetics. The academy also states foot complications prove the most frequent reason for diabetics to require hospitalization.
Low or High Blood Sugar Levels
Low and high blood sugar causes a disturbance of normal bodily functions in diabetics. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, occurs when a person's blood sugar drops below a target range. Hypoglycemia occurs in diabetics for various reasons including not eating enough and increased physical activity, according to MayoClinic.com. Still, the most common reasons for low blood sugar are glucose lowering drugs and insulin therapy, advises the clinic.
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is the opposite of hypoglycemia. It is a major cause of complications related to diabetes, reports the American Diabetes Association. Eating too much, becoming ill, stress or not taking enough glucose lowering medication, such as insulin, causes the disorder, according MayoClinic.com. Blood sugar levels decrease because of exercising, if ketones are not present in urine, and taking proper amounts of insulin. Ketones are acids that build up in the blood when the body doesn't have enough insulin.
Both disorders require immediate care. If not treated a diabetic experience seizures or fall into a coma. Checking blood glucose often proves extremely important for a diabetic to properly manage her disease, points out the American Diabetes Foundation.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease often occurs in diabetic patients. According to the American Diabetes Association, heart disease caused 68 percent of diabetes-related deaths in people over the age of 65, in 2004. The association also reported during 2003 to 2004, 75 percent of adults with diabetes received a diagnosis of high blood pressure or used high blood pressure medications. Cardiovascular problems associated with diabetes includes coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries. These complications can lead to heart attacks and strokes occurring, reports MayoClinic.com The clinic states a person proves twice as likely to suffer from heart disease or stroke if they also have diabetes.
