Approximately 23.6 million people in the United States have diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. A chronic disorder of the metabolism, a person's body either doesn't produce enough insulin, or his cells do not respond to the insulin his body produces. This leads to a buildup of glucose -- a form of sugar in the blood. When a person cannot control his diabetes or does not receive proper treatment, it can lead to a host of medical problems.
Controlling Blood Sugar Levels
The main goal for any person with diabetes is controlling her blood sugar levels. Because a diabetic's body has difficulty producing or responding to insulin -- which helps remove excess glucose from the body -- blood sugar levels can rise beyond healthy levels, creating complications such as damage to the kidneys, heart, blood vessels and nerves, as NetWellness explains. Therefore, it is imperative to control and maintain blood sugar levels.
Those with diabetes must check their blood sugar levels through the day, usually before and after a meal, and before bedtime, according to GlucoMenu. The site notes that the goal of an individual's blood sugar levels depends on when she is testing. Treatment depends on the type of diabetes a person has. Type 1 diabetes is treated with healthy eating, physical activity and insulin, while Type 2 diabetes requires one or more diabetes medicines such as pills, insulin and injectable medicine in combination with physical activity and healthy eating, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
Control Blood Pressure
Seventy percent of diabetics have high blood pressure, a form of cardiovascular disease and the leading cause of early death among diabetics, according to NetWellness. The site adds that 65 percent of diabetics die from some form of cardiovascular disease, usually heart attack or stroke.
The American Diabetes Association adds that as many as two out of three adults with diabetes have high blood pressure, and because of the health risks high blood pressure poses to diabetics, the goal pressure is less than 130/80. High blood pressure has no symptoms; for this reason the American Diabetes Association recommends that diabetics have their pressure checked two to four times a year, or whenever they see their doctor. While treatment varies with each person, changing eating habits, quitting smoking, becoming more physically active and losing weight help lower a person's pressure. In some cases, a doctor may also prescribe medication.
Preventing Kidney Disease
High blood sugar can damage the kidneys, causing them to work improperly, resulting in kidney disease, as the American Diabetes Association explains. The role of the kidney is to filter waste from the blood. The kidneys of a person with diabetes work harder, as they try to cleanse the excess sugar from the blood. It is the sugar that begins to slowly destroy the cells of the kidneys, according to NetWellness. When caught in its early stages, treatment can slow the progression, but when caught too late, kidney failure is the result.
Kidney disease in diabetics can be prevented. However, it takes tight control of both blood sugar levels and blood pressure. The American Diabetes Association emphasizes the importance of both, but states that blood pressure has a dramatic effect on the rate at which kidney disease progresses. The most minute rise in a person's blood pressure can make this disease worsen rapidly. The four greatest preventive changes a person can make is lose weight, avoid both tobacco and alcohol, reduce salt intake and exercise regularly.
