Dr Manoj Chawla, consultant diabetologist at Mumbai's P D Hinduja Hospital, explains how diabetes affects your eyes, heart and nerves and what you can do to protect yourself.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic condition characterised by elevated blood glucose levels resulting from the body's inability to produce insulin, or resistance to insulin, or both.
Diabetes can lead to serious complications and can affect the organs in your body.
People with diabetes face an increased risk of developing other diabetic complications.
There are two types of complications -- acute and chronic. However, effective blood glucose management can lower the risk of diabetes complications.
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Blood sugar
Acute complications include hyperglycaemia (blood glucose is too high), hypoglycaemia (blood glucose is low), hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (blood glucose levels are too high for a long period resulting confusion and severe dehydration) and diabetic ketoacidosis (the build-up of ketones in the blood when there's lack of insulin and the blood glucose is high).
Acute complications are sudden and serious and last a short time.
Chronic complications develop slowly and may worsen over an extended period of time.
Chronic complications include nervous system damage (neuropathy), renal damage (nephropathy), eye damage (retinopathy), cardiovascular disease and foot problems (peripheral vascular disease).
Retinopathy
When diabetes causes damage to the eyes -- specifically the blood vessels of the retina -- the condition is called retinopathy.
It can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated.
People with diabetes should go for an annual eye check-up, including funduscopy, to protect their vision and to prevent other eye complications.
To minimise the risk of retinopathy, people with diabetes should control their blood glucose levels.
Cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke)
Diabetics are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases as compared to people without diabetes.
If blood glucose is high for a period of time, it can damage the blood vessels and lead serious heart complications such as arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis, which are the most common causes of heart attack.
Patients should ensure that they manage their blood glucose, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Nephropathy
Diabetic nephropathy, also known as renal disease, is a serious and chronic complication caused by diabetes that affects the kidneys.
High blood glucose levels affect the arteries and can cause impaired kidney function.
Diabetic nephropathy develops gradually. In this condition, the body starts to lose protein through urine. The kidneys cannot remove waste products from the blood and maintain the electrolyte levels in the body.
To reduce the risk, patients should maintain their glucose levels and get their kidney assessment done for kidney function as advised by their doctor.
Neuropathy (nerve damage)
The most common type of peripheral neuropathy is diabetic neuropathy in which nerves in the feet and legs are damaged; it is caused by high blood glucose levels and long-standing diabetes.
It can lead to a tingling or 'pins and needles' sensation, numbness, sharp and burning pain and hot and cold sensation.
People with diabetes are at a higher risk of getting serious foot problems like infections and ulcers due to lack of sensitivity.
To delay or prevent nerve damage, it is crucial for the patient to keep their blood glucose in the target range, inspect feet for signs for hot spots or injury or infection and report signs and symptoms to their doctor for early treatment.
While diabetes is a serious and life-threatening disease, it can be managed with proper treatment, exercise and diet control.
Self-awareness and education play an important role in managing diabetes.
It is crucial for people with diabetes to be aware of the treatment, risk factors and complications related to the disease.
Regular checkups and communication with the healthcare team, adherence to prescribed medication, consistency with diet and physical activity and lifestyle modifications are necessary for effective diabetes management.
Better diabetic education and knowledge at the right time can reduce the risk factors and other complications of diabetes, thus reducing morbidity and mortality.
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