Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by an insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas, resulting in an increase in glucose (sugar) levels in the blood. There are two types of chronic (lifelong) diabetes. Type 1 usually begins during childhood and requires insulin therapy to control. Type 2, known as adult onset diabetes, can often be controlled through lifestyle changes. Both types can cause long-term complications, many of which can be life-threatening.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of the arteries due to a buildup of plaque--a substance made of fat, cholesterol and calcium deposits. Atherosclerosis is a long-term complication for Type 1 and Type 2. It usually affects the arteries that supply the legs and feet. The condition can result in pain when walking, numbness in the legs or feet when resting, muscle pain and a loss of hair on the legs. Atherosclerosis can contribute to the onset of coronary artery disease, silent myocardial infarction (blockage of the arteries that supply the heart), cerebral stroke and gangrene (the death and decay of tissue), according to DiabetesMellitus-information.com.
Retinopathy
Retinopathy is the most common long-term complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness in American adults, according to the National Eye Institute. Retinopathy is a condition caused by damage to the blood vessels that supply the retina, the light-sensitive membrane covering the back of the eye. The damaged blood vessels may be inflamed, leak fluid or grow abnormally, obscuring the retina and affecting vision. DiabetesMellitus-information.com estimates that 50 percent of patients suffering from diabetes for 10 years have some degree of retinopathy.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a condition affecting the peripheral nerves that connect the limbs and organs to the central nervous system. Neuropathy affects over 20 million Americans; 30 percent of those cases are caused by diabetes, according to the Neuropathy Association. Diabetes can lead to nerve damage because of decreased blood flow and increased blood sugar levels. Neuropathy can cause numbness, tingling and decreased sensation of feeling in the feet and hands. It can also cause loss of bladder control, diarrhea, constipation, impotence, facial drooping, weakness and speech impairments.
Nephropathy
Patients with diabetes have an increased level of sugar in their blood. This can cause the glomeruli--structures in the kidney that filter the urine--to become scarred and thickened. As a result, the kidneys can't filter the urine effectively. This causes a buildup of toxic material in the blood that can cause symptoms including fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite and swelling of the legs. The damage to the kidneys also allows proteins to leak into the urine, which is one way to diagnose the nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy can lead to long-term kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease.
Heart Disease and Stroke
The American Diabetes Association reports that heart disease is present in about 70 percent of patients 65 or older who die from diabetes-related illness, with stroke at about 15 percent of them. Two of three adults with diabetes have high blood pressure, a contributing factor to heart disease and stroke.
