High blood glucose levels (diabetes) require measures to bring them down. If treatment begins in the early stages, you might experience only short-term effects, most of which will resolve as your blood sugar levels are restored to normal. In contrast, if levels stay too high for a long period, you risk experiencing the serious effects of prolonged excessive glucose levels on the body.
Diabetic Retinopathy
According to the Mayo Clinic, if your level of blood glucose stays high for a prolonged period, the lens in your eye may swell, impairing your vision. If your condition continues to be uncontrolled, blindness can develop. This occurs because high levels of glucose damage the blood vessels, nerves and other structures located within the eye, and can encourage the development of scar tissue, as well.
Kidney Disease
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse says that long-term high blood glucose levels is the leading cause of kidney failure. When your blood sugar level is too high, your kidneys must work harder to filter the waste and excrete it from your body. Eventually, you can develop kidney disease or complete kidney failure. Your risk increases after having diabetes for more than 15 years.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Long-term high blood glucose levels can result in diabetic neuropathy which damages the nerves, particularly those in the legs and feet. Diabetes can also damage the nerves that control your heart beat, blood pressure, digestive system and sexual organs. As a result, you can develop heart disease, digestive problems, inability to control your bowels and bladder, and impotence.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that the most common type of diabetic neuropathy causes numbness, tingling, pain and complete loss of sensation in the lower legs and feet. In severe cases, the lack of nerve impulses and blood supply to the feet and legs can cause muscle wasting, and an untreated cut can lead to tissue death (gangrene).
Heart Disease
Diabetes and heart disease are strongly linked, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. Heart attacks and strokes are the leading cause of death in adults with diabetes. Having a high glucose level makes you more susceptible to heart conditions as it causes an inflammation in the lining of the arteries. Diabetes also can lower "good" HDL cholesterol, and raise "bad" LDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides. This condition, called diabetic dyslipidemia, increases the risk for heart disease and stroke.
