The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It is a disease associated with insulin--a hormone produces in the pancreas--deficiency or resistance and characterized by blood glucose levels that are higher than normal. Insulin and some other medications along with lifestyle changes are used to manage this disease and the goal of care in diabetes is to keep blood sugar levels close to normal. Uncontrolled diabetes can led to serious complications.
Atherosclerosis
Uncontrolled diabetes exposes the body to high levels of blood glucose. When this happens, the blood vessels can get damaged. "Diabetes" by Marlene Targ Brill says that accumulation of glucose in the bloodstream thickens blood. This makes blood flow through the body slower and leads to a reduction in the amount of oxygen and nutrients delivered to cells in the body. When the cells don't get enough oxygen, they begin to die. Cell death can damage the arteries and lead to atherosclerosis-- a condition in which the arteries become hard and narrow.
Cardiovascular Complications
The American Heart Association reports that cardiovascular disease-- blood vessel and heart disease-- is the major cause of death in diabetic patients. Slow blood circulation and atherosclerosis from uncontrolled diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Diabetic patients may experience no symptoms of heart disease. Peripheral artery disease or PAD-- a disease caused by reduced blood flow to legs and hands-- typically affects the legs and its symptoms include shiny legs that are hairless, cold legs, pain in the legs when walking and leg ulcers that don't heal quickly.
Kidney Complications
"Type 1 Diabetes for Dummies," by Alan L. Rubin says that uncontrolled diabetes can lead to kidney problems. The kidneys contain a group of blood vessels called glomeruli that filter blood. They also remove waste products and toxins from the blood. High blood sugar levels damage the glomeruli by making them thicker than they should be. This reduces the amount of blood flow to the kidneys and diminishes its filtering abilities.
The earliest symptom of kidney damage due to diabetes is microalbuminuria--small amounts of protein in the urine. Other signs of this damage are swollen ankles, urinating more often at night, anemia and creatinine in the blood.
Nerve Complications
The nerves transfer messages between all parts of the body and the brain. It permits people to feel sensations, breathe, digest food and affects many functions in the body. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause nerve damage. It is a problem that happens when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels that supply the nerves with blood. Symptoms of nerve damage depends on the affected nerves. Functions such as digestion, urinating and breathing can be affected by nerve damage. Some symptoms of damaged nerves in diabetics are numbness, pain and tingling in the hands and feet.
References
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: What is diabetes?
- The American Heart Association: Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
- "Diabetes"; Marlene Targ Brill; 2007
- "Type 1 Diabetes for Dummies"; Alan L. Rubin; 2008
- University of Washington School of Medicine: Diabetes Basics
