Diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes, is a common endocrine disorder that can lead to a number of complications as the disease progresses. If diabetes is not managed properly, complications can affect the circulatory system. Diabetes can cause cardiovascular issues such as heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure and affect the blood vessels in other organs.
Circulatory complications involving damage to and narrowing of the blood vessels caused by thickening and hardening of the vessel wall and formation of plaques called atherosclerosis can also occur, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Heart Disease
The International Diabetes Federation explains that the arteries of the heart become narrowed and blocked by atherosclerosis, which is a condition associated with high blood sugar and high blood cholesterol levels. These plaques hinder the circulation of blood and oxygen, which results in a lack of nutrients for the muscles pumping the heart. The effects include chest pain called angina, ischemia of heart muscles, myocardial infarction, heart attack or even heart failure. Diabetics with heart disease are twice as likely to die from a heart attack as individuals in the general population, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Stroke
More than 80 percent of people with diabetes are at risk of death due to stroke and cardiovascular complications, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Strokes occur when the blood flow to the brain is altered by a thrombus or plaque formed in the artery or by a rupture in the artery wall. These occurrences can be caused by high blood glucose and cholesterol levels, which weaken artery walls and lead to bleeding inside the brain.
Patients with these complications may present with sudden weakness in the body, difficulty speaking and walking, vision changes, severe headache and other symptoms, says the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Diabetes causes an increased risk of suffering from peripheral vascular disease, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. This common diabetic circulatory complication is caused by thickened, narrowed and hardened blood vessels in the body. Peripheral vascular disease is most common in the legs and feet and results in leg pain, tingling, numbness, decreased sensation, skin damage and ulcers.
