Diabetes and Its Complications

Diabetes a metabolic disease characterized by high level of blood sugar which then results to the defect of insulin secretion in our body. As we all know, insulin is the hormone that stabilizes and lowers blood glucose level in the body. It's so unfortunate that despite of the advances we have today, this dreaded disease has no cure yet. Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, chances are, you have to deal with it for as long as you live. If taken for granted, it can lead to life-threatening conditions.
One of the most common complications of the said disease is diabetic retinopathy or lost of vision. Why does this occur? Because of the insufficient blood glucose control in the body, the shape and the flexibility of the eye's lens is damaged therefore distorting its ability to focus.




The blood vessels in the eye's retina is damaged. To prevent this from happening, make sure you monitor and control not only your blood sugar but your blood pressure and cholesterol level as well. Periodic eye examination is also mandatory.
Arteriosclerosis is another disease that usually comes hand in hand with diabetes. This happens when the arterial wall becomes thick and then it loses its elasticity and this is due to too much pressure. If you experience any symptoms related to arteriosclerosis like ringing of ear, memory problems, cold legs or feet, muscle pain in the thighs, numbness of the legs or feet and paleness or blueness, go see your doctor immediately as this can pose a serious threat. Enough said, a diabetic is prone to cardiovascular complications. The leading cause of death among patients is heart attack.




Having kidney problems is also one scary and life-threatening complication of diabetes. This disease subdues the kidneys' function to remove wastes and excess water from the body. Once the kidneys fail, the person has the tendency to be very sick. You can avoid kidney failure by having your kidneys examined at least once a year by having your urine tested for small amounts of protein. It's also important that you keep your blood pressure below 130/80.