Diabetes – Possible Complications From Diabetes

Diabetes – Possible Complications From Diabetes

One of the possible tragic complications of diabetes is the effects the disease has on various organs and body functions. They cover a wide range of systems and conditions. Fortunately, most are treatable and/or manageable.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia, for example, is a common side effect of diabetes medications. Since diabetes is characterized by too much glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia), treating it can produce too low a level (hypoglycemia). It can be mild and adjustable by changing diet or medications. But careful monitoring of blood glucose levels is essential to proper management.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Cardiovascular problems are more likely among those who suffer from diabetes. High glucose levels can gradually lead to increases of fatty deposits on blood vessels, constricting flow and possibly leading to atherosclerosis (clogging or hardening of the blood vessels). That increases the odds of heart attack or stroke. Those who have diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke, and often at a younger age than average.

Here again, though, the condition can be managed to minimize the odds of heart disease or stroke. An appropriate exercise regimen can help keep your cardiovascular in optimal condition. A heart healthy diet will reduce the odds of atherosclerosis. A good diet also reduces the chances of a stroke. In some cases, simple aspirin treatments may be helpful.

Eye Problems

A variety of eye problems are possible complications of diabetes. Indeed, one of the common symptoms is blurry vision. Excess glucose in the blood draws fluid out of tissues, including the lenses. That makes it more difficult to correctly focus. But there are other areas of the eye that can be affected, as well.

The retina (the lining on the back of the eye) may have its proper function impaired. As a side effect of elevated blood pressure caused by diabetes, small blood vessels in the eye can be damaged. That harms the retina. It may manifest itself in the form of blurry vision, but it can also appear as rings around lights or dark spots in your field of vision.

Careful monitoring of glucose levels and blood pressure can help minimize the odds of eye problems from diabetes. Here again, an appropriate diet, including lowering cholesterol and a good exercise routine will keep blood pressure under control.

Nervous System

One of the follow on effects of continual high blood pressure may be damage to the nervous system. When blood vessels are impaired they’re less efficient at performing that essential function. Blood oxygenates the nerve cells. When deprived they will be impaired.

Controlling blood pressure will help reduce the odds of nervous system problems.

Kidney

Kidneys help filter the blood to eliminate waste products and remove toxins. Diabetes can impair that filtering function. That may lead to protein leaking out of the kidneys and into the urine where it’s no longer available to the body for useful purposes. On the other hand, since the filtering function is less efficient, some waste products may go back into the bloodstream rather than being eliminated.

Keeping blood glucose level and blood pressure to the right level can help reduce the odds of kidney problems. In some cases, special medication (such as an ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker) may be appropriate.

In all cases, the best course is to seek professional guidance for diagnosis and the appropriate treatments.

Diabetes – Monitoring Systems for Diabetics

Diabetes – Monitoring Systems for Diabetics

Tracking the level of glucose in the blood is vital for proper diabetes management. Fortunately, the devices available to do that today are easy to use and provide many features.

One of the earliest self-test systems was developed in the mid-1970s. Then as now they used a sample of blood that is chemically analyzed by the device. Since then, they’ve gotten smaller, more accurate and require less blood.

Monitors now extrude a small test strip coated with chemicals used to perform the test. A small blood sample is provided, usually by pricking the finger with a lancet. The blood drop is smeared on the strip, then fed into a hand-held device. In a few seconds, it provides a readout of the current glucose level.

There are several pros and cons to all current devices.

They’re convenient, but they do require a blood sample drawn from the body. That can be uncomfortable and is one of the main reasons that many people will only use them once per day, rather than the recommended three times daily.

They can give inaccurate readings if they’re not calibrated and maintained properly. They need to be cleaned, in order to prevent old blood and chemicals from contaminating the device and throwing off the readings. But that’s generally easy to do and the results are typically as accurate as a professional test from a lab, or nearly so.

Many contemporary devices far exceed the features available from their older cousins.

While having the convenience and timeliness of a home test is a great benefit, there are other desirable attributes for a good device. Many today will store numerous test results taken over time. That helps compare levels on an ongoing basis, providing better glucose level management. Some can download results to a PC where the data can be easily graphed, making the tracking process even more valuable.

Several models allow the user to draw blood from areas other than the finger. That gives the fingers a rest, since continual pricking can lead to excessive scarring and loss of sensitivity. It can also lead to running out of fingers to use and greater difficulty drawing blood, leading to additional discomfort. Alternative devices, if approved for use by your physician, can draw blood from the hands, arms and elsewhere.

But there are even better diabetic monitoring devices available on the market today.

Some use a laser to make a small, painless hole in the skin. A droplet of blood oozes out for smearing onto a test strip. It produces only a slight tingling sensation in the finger during the test. That eliminates the need for needles and is more sanitary and safer, as well as reducing discomfort.

Some work even while you sleep. No one wants to wake up in the middle of the night to prick a finger and run a test strip through the device for a readout. But the body continues to function twenty-four hours a day. Glucose levels can rise or fall at any time. Diabetics can buy a watch that monitors glucose level and alerts the wearer by an alarm if a threshold is exceeded.

Still more advanced monitoring systems for diabetics require drawing no blood at all. It senses the glucose level through the skin by use of an infrared beam. In development since the mid 1990s, it was recently approved by the FDA for home use.

Diabetes – Long Term Prospects for Diabetes Patients

Diabetes – Long Term Prospects for Diabetes Patients

The long term prospects for a person with diabetes are not set in stone. In many cases, they are a matter of choice.

There are many possible complications that come with diabetes.

Those taking insulin can experience a low glucose level. Hypoglycemia can lead to several ill effects. In extreme cases, coma is possible. At milder levels, muscle weakness or headache are common.

Diabetic acidosis may result from missing an insulin dose or as the result of infection or other cause. It can be life threatening. It’s most common in Type 1 diabetes, but may occur in those who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes as well.

Insulin helps regulate blood glucose levels, but it also plays a role in burning body fat. When the insulin level drops drastically, the body starts burning fat, producing a characteristic ketone smell from the breath. The body tries to reduce the condition by inducing rapid breathing. But that strategy can only succeed to a certain degree.

Long term, diabetic retinopathy – a generation of the retina from damaged blood vessels – is another possibility. Kidney malfunction, as the kidneys come to filter less efficiently due to gradual destruction of the glomeruli, is also common.

But none of these conditions is inevitable, particularly today.

The possible long term effects of diabetes are very well known and there have been developed a number of strategies for dealing with them.

Accurate and careful self-care is the first line of defense. That keeps glucose and insulin levels where they should be, along with keeping the body fit to deal with the rigors of any problems that occur. It helps keep blood pressure in check to avoid long term complications from high blood pressure.

But there are longer term prospects on the horizon. Since diabetes is the result of lowered insulin production (Type 1) or inefficient use (Type 2) it can be adjusted by means other than drugs or diet. Note: there are other types of diabetes but these two cover over 95% of all chronic cases. Two of those are gene therapy or organ transplant.

Organ transplantation, in this case of a defective pancreas is an option for those who have Type 1 diabetes. Though a serious procedure, and not for everyone, the surgery has come a long way over the past 30 years, as has every other type of transplant. Immunosuppressive drugs are more effective to reduce the odds of rejection. Some gene therapy techniques are being developed to eliminate even the need for that.

Beyond being an adjunct in aiding immune system suppression, gene therapy can have a more direct role. Research is being conducted to correct autoimmune disorders, one type of which causes Type 1 diabetes. Even Type 2 diabetes sufferers have hope as well, though.

Gene therapy holds out the promise of being able to adjust the efficiency with which the body uses insulin, the characteristic of Type 2. Gene therapy may be able to affect the gene that controls the production of insulin beta cells.

Research is active and ongoing. There are good reasons to hope that in the years to come diabetes may be treated more effectively or even eliminated entirely.

Potential Kidney Problems for obese diabetics

Potential Kidney Problems for obese diabetics

Both diabetics and obesity are linked to kidney failure.  There are many people who are
both diabetic and obese and they have an increased risk of being diagnosed with serious
kidney problems that lead to dialysis or the need for a transplant.  Kidney failure and
damage in a diabetic patient is known as diabetic nephropathy.

The kidneys’ job is to clean the blood but when the blood has excess sugar (glucose)
present it causes damage to the kidneys.  This damage can happen even before someone
knows they are diabetic or if they are not diabetic but are considered obese.  High blood
sugars that are present in the bodies of obese people and diabetics are a problem to these
organs and other functions in body.

There really aren’t any symptoms for the early signs of kidney damage.  You probably
will not know that it is occurring unless your doctor performs a test to check for protein
in your urine (done with a dip stick in the office).  If the doctor finds the presence of
protein it will be closely monitored depending on the amount of protein present.  During
the beginning stages of diabetic nephropathy the kidneys are still able to function and do
their job of cleaning the blood.  Action will need to be taken to get blood glucose levels
under control to prevent further damage to the kidneys.

If your kidneys fail you are at risk for high blood pressure and the build-up of toxins in
your blood because the kidneys are not able to filter them out.  The two options available
at this point are dialysis or a kidney transplant.  Dialysis is a method to clean your blood
using an external machine you are hooked up to that your blood is run through and then
put back in your body

The deadly combination of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes

The deadly combination of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes

High blood pressure is a concern for anyone but people with diabetics are more likely to
suffer from it than others.  If you are obese and diabetic, a high blood pressure can be
deadly leading to a fatal heart attack.  Like many health risks associated with diabetes,
good control of your blood sugars, a healthy diet and physical activity can help to keep
your blood pressure in check.

If you are suffering from a headache, your vision is blurry and you feel light headed or
dizzy you may have high blood pressure.  These symptoms are not just indicative of high
blood pressure though and you should seek medical attention to determine the cause.  
Other times there may be no symptoms at all when you have high blood pressure or it
may be slightly elevated.  It is smart to have your blood pressure routinely checked at
your doctor’s appointments.

When you are obese, the most effective way to reduce your blood pressure is to lose
weight.  Follow a meal plan that works for your diabetes, making sure you are consuming
enough food, and can still allow you to lose weight.  Other changes that you can make
that will improve your blood pressure are:

*    An exercise routine that is followed on a regular basis
*    Reducing stress in your life – mediation, yoga, letting go of some responsibilities
*    Quit smoking
*    Lessen the amount of salt you use for cooking or on your food

While you are making lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure your doctor may
decide to put your on medication.  If you have to take blood pressure medication it does
not have to be forever.  You can look at it as a short-term fix while you make the changes
necessary to lower your blood pressure on your own.

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