Elevated blood sugar levels can cause numerous health problems. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health, many people with elevated blood sugar or blood glucose levels have other conditions that increase the likelihood of serious health complications, including excess weight around the waist, hypertension or high blood pressure and increased blood triglycerides.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is a high blood sugar risk. According to the American Heart Association, consistently elevated blood sugar levels--such as those seen in many diabetics--significantly increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular problems, including heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association also notes that approximately 75 percent of diabetics die of some type of heart or blood vessel disease, which is why it's important for diabetics and other people with elevated blood sugar levels to manage the problem and control risk factors. Chronically elevated blood sugar levels are characteristic of metabolic syndrome--a combination of disorders that boost the risk for cardiovascular disease. A 2004 study by Dr. Shaista Malik and colleagues published in the peer-reviewed journal Circulation concludes that coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease and total mortality are significantly higher in American adults with metabolic syndrome than those without.
Organ Damage
Elevated blood sugar levels can cause organ damage. The Mayo Clinic states that chronically elevated and uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause organ complications that may be debilitating and life-threatening. Elevated blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, is common among diabetics, whose pancreases are no longer capable of producing sufficient insulin to help glucose enter the body's cells. Certain types of cells, however, absorb glucose directly from the blood and do not require the presence of insulin for glucose uptake and therefore have a greater susceptibility to damage when they are exposed to high levels of blood glucose. Cells in the nervous system, blood vessels, kidneys and eyes are particularly vulnerable to the damage associated with increased glucose levels, as increased glucose within the cell inhibits the production of important enzymes, limits the cells' ability to repair themselves and restricts the inflow of nutrients into the cells.
Cancer
Consistently elevated blood sugar levels can increase the risk of cancer. According to a 2005 study by Sun Ha Jee and colleagues published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, elevated fasting serum glucose or a high blood sugar level is an independent risk factor for several major cancers, and the risk of developing these cancers tends to increase with increased fasting serum glucose levels. The researchers note that significant associations between elevated blood sugar levels and cancer were found for pancreatic cancer in men and women, cancers of the esophagus, liver, colon and rectum in men and cancers of the liver and cervix in women. They also note that, for people with fasting serum glucose levels greater than 125mg/dL, the risk of dying from cancer were generally elevated relative to individuals without diabetes.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Insulin Resistance and Pre-diabetes
- American Heart Association: Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease
- "Circulation"; Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome; Shaista Malik, M.D., MPH et al.; 2004
- Mayo Clinic: Type 1 Diabetes
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Fasting Serum Glucose Level; Sun Ha Jee, Ph.D., MHS et al.; January 2005
