What are the complications of diabetes

Written By The HealthMeth Team - Updated On Monday, February 15, 2021 7:00 PM

Diabetes

Diabetes, diabetes, diabetes, diabetes, or diabetes is one of the metabolic diseases that cause high blood sugar, and the inability of cells to naturally use the food that a person eats for energy. Necessary. [1] [2]

To learn more about diabetes, you can read the following article: ( What is diabetes ) .

To learn more about the types of diabetes, you can read the following article: ( What are the types of diabetes ) .


Diabetes complications

There are a number of complications or health damage is more likely to occur in patients with diabetes, and must stress that these complications occur is not inevitable and can be infected to protect himself and follows some Aelloukaaih procedures to minimize the risk of the occurrence of complications, [3] In fact divided diabetic complications Into two types: [4] [5]

  • Long-term complications: It takes several years of illness and high blood sugar to develop.
  • Short-term complications: meaning that they develop suddenly or within a period not exceeding a few days or weeks, and represent cases of severe excessive or low blood sugar readings, and these cases are treated relatively quickly to restore sugar to the usual level.


Short-term complications

Complications that may appear shortly after developing diabetes in the event of non-compliance with the treatment plan prescribed by the doctor are the following:

  • Hyperglycemia crises: This type of complication develops in some diabetics within a short period of time that does not exceed a few days or weeks, as mentioned above. This type of complication is represented by the diabetic patient's exposure to factors that cause excessive blood sugar levels without effectively controlling them, as well as In the event that a diabetic patient has an infection and is not controlled, or does not adhere to the use of medicinal diabetes treatments, it is worth noting that, although this type of complication is emergency and requires immediate medical treatment, medical treatment cures it and eliminates its symptoms after re-regularity Glucose readings, and hyperglycemia crises are divided into the following two types: [4]
    • Diabetic ketoacidosis: This type of hyperglycemic crisis occurs in patients with type 1 diabetes mostly when the level of insulin in the blood is very low or absolute, and due to the inability of cells to use blood sugar as an energy source, the fats are broken down to obtain They use energy, and as a result this produces chemicals called ketones that appear in the blood and urine, and a high level of ketones causes the blood to become more acidic. This is known as ketoacidosis, and the symptoms of ketoacidosis include fruit-smelling breath, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing, and loss of consciousness in severe cases, it is a health emergency that requires medical follow-up and immediate treatment. [6] [7] [4]
    • Diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome: Hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome often affects patients with type 2 diabetes, and what happens in this case is that the amount of insulin in the body decreases dramatically as well, but it does not decrease enough to start using fat as an alternative source For energy, as in the case of ketoacidosis, [4]This decrease in insulin leads to an excessive rise in the level of sugar, so the body tries to get rid of this excess sugar through frequent urination, which leads to dehydration of the body, and an intense feeling of thirst, in addition to mental confusion, which is a hallmark of diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome. Diabetic hyperosmolar high blood sugar level, where blood sugar levels exceed 600 mg / dL, in addition to blood osmolality reaching 320 mg / kg or more, and a very large loss of fluid from the body with no increase in the acidity of the blood as is the case in acidosis Ketogenic. [8] [5]
  • Low blood sugar: In fact, hypoglycemia is not a complication resulting from diabetes itself, but rather one of the problems that may result from diabetes treatment, especially insulin. As in the case of using high doses of insulin, or not eating meals, and its symptoms include: sweating, extreme hunger, tremors, cloudiness of the eyes, and a rapid heart rate, and the patient is advised in the event of these symptoms and suspicion of the possibility of his hypoglycemia by eating some type of food or Quick-absorbing sugary drinks such as: sweetened juice, a piece of candy, honey, or sugar, and after the sugar reading returns to normal, it is recommended to eat a meal of food to keep the blood sugar level constant. [9]


Long-term complications

Chronic diabetes increases the likelihood of developing some complications and health problems in the long term, as these complications may develop after developing diabetes over many years, and all relate to the way in which the high blood sugar level affects the blood vessels, and it can be said that high Blood sugar increases the risk of damage to small and large blood vessels in the body, but medical follow-up, effective control of diabetes readings, and comprehensive awareness of its most important complications and how to reduce the chance of their occurrence contributed greatly to reducing them, and below we will address the most prominent of these complications: (5 ] [10]


Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the types of chronic kidney disease, and it is one of the main causes of kidney disease in patients who are dialyzed, [11]Diabetic nephropathy results from high blood sugar levels over a long period, which causes a defect in the functions of the kidneys as the body begins to lose protein through the urine, and the kidneys cannot remove waste products from the blood, and the kidneys are not able to maintain fluid levels in The body, it is worth noting that smoking, aging, obesity, chronic infections, high blood pressure, and high levels of fats in the blood are among the factors that increase the risk of developing diabetic nephropathy, and it can be said that the patient may not notice any symptoms in the early stages. Diabetic nephropathy, and over time, the accumulation of toxic substances in the body as a result of progression in diabetic nephropathy and loss of kidney function can cause symptoms to appear. Symptoms of diabetic nephropathy include swelling of the ankles, feet, legs, or hands due to water retention, dark color of urine, shortness of breath Fatigue due to lack of oxygen in the blood, or nauseaVomiting, a feeling of a metallic taste in the mouth.[12]


Neuropathy

Diabetic Neuropathy is a neurological disorder that usually develops over a long period of diabetes. High blood sugar levels may cause damage to nerve fibers throughout the body, which affects the ability of the nerves to transmit nerve signals, in addition to reducing The amount of oxygen that is provided to the nerves, which impairs their ability to function properly, and neuropathy is divided into four main types, which are as follows: [13]

  • Diabetic neuropathy autonomic: and mainly affects the digestive system suffers infected with this type of impairment from a variety of symptoms of intestinal such as bloating, nausea, constipation or diarrhea, it is worth mentioning that this type of neuropathy may It affects the urinary system, the reproductive organs, and causes erectile dysfunction. It may also affect the blood vessels and cause dizziness when getting up quickly, in addition to an accelerated heartbeat.
  • Focal neuropathy: This type mainly affects the head, torso, legs, and may cause double vision, feeling the pain behind one eye, and the feeling of pain in a specific part of the body and topical.
  • Peripheral neuropathy: This type affects the neuropathy mainly in the feet and legs, and patients suffer from symptoms such as tingling, numbness, pain, and in some cases it may lead to a complete loss of feeling Baldhirain, hands and legs, pain in the bones And joints.
  • Neuropathy near: This type affects the thighs, hips, buttocks, legs and usually symptoms appear on one side of the body, which causes difficulty standing after sitting for long periods, may require the individual to obtain assistance during Do simple daily activities.


Diabetic foot

Diabetic foot is the most common infection of the bones and soft tissues in patients with diabetes, and according to diabetes-related statistics, the incidence of diabetic foot is about 6.3%, according to a review-type study published in Annals of Medicine in 2019, and complications of diabetic foot can range from inflammation Cellular tissue to chronic osteomyelitis, and it should be noted that there are many medical tips and advice that help prevent diabetic foot, which we will mention later in the article. [14] [15]


Hypertension

High blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are part of metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes obesity and cardiovascular disease, and it is worth saying that both high blood pressure and diabetes may have some common underlying causes, as they share some risk factors. Also, each of them contributes to exacerbating the symptoms of the other disease. And because the high level of sugar in the blood causes damage to the blood vessels and kidneys, which play a major role in maintaining blood pressure, which increases the risk of high blood pressure. It is worth noting that high blood pressure is a silent disease, which means that it may not cause clear and specific symptoms that help to detect it. [16]


Heart disease

Diabetes increases the risk of various cardiovascular diseases, such as angina, in addition to heart attacks and atherosclerosis. [17]


brain attack

It should be said that diabetes increases the chance of stroke by 1.5 times compared to people without diabetes, and it is worth noting that a stroke causes the blood supply to a part of the brain to be suddenly cut off, which may lead to damage to That affected part, and the possible symptoms of a stroke include feeling weak or numbness on one side of the body, feeling sudden disorientation or problems with understanding, difficulty speaking, dizziness, loss of balance, difficulty walking, problems seeing with one or both eyes, double vision, Severe headache. [18]


Eye problems

Diabetes increases the risk of retinopathy, as diabetic retinopathy results from the effect of the disease in the small blood vessels of the retina, which may lead to fluid leaching from these blood vessels or bleeding, and other eye complications that increase the risk of developing them In diabetics: Diabetic retinopathy, which results from swelling of an area in the retina of the eye known as the macula, and glaucoma or glaucoma, which is associated with damage to the optic nerve, in addition to cataract or cataract (in English: Cataract, which is the clouding of the lens of the eye. [19]

To learn more about diabetic retinopathy, read the following article: ( Diabetic Retinopathy ) .


Peripheral arteropathy

Diabetes increases the risk of peripheral arterial disease as a long-term complication, [5]PAD causes restriction of blood flow in the blood vessels, specifically the arteries in the arms, legs, or other parts of the body. Signs and symptoms of PAD appear gradually, and they occur more commonly in the legs than the arms due to the remoteness of the blood vessels in the legs from the heart. The symptoms of peripheral arterial disease include feeling pain or cramps while walking, and the patient may feel them in the buttocks, calf, thigh, and hip area, and these pains develop when the patient walks quickly or for long distances and usually disappear with rest, and with the disease progressing, pain and fatigue may persist. In the leg even while at rest, other symptoms include paleness or blue or red color of the legs, hair loss in the legs, cold skin, thinning or shiny of the skin of the legs and feet, slow healing of wounds and sores, burning or numbness in the toes, and thickening of the nails Slow or absent pulse in the feet, muscle atrophy and numbness.[20]


Skin complications

Diabetics are more susceptible to infections, particularly foot infections, fungal infections, and urinary tract infections, given that high blood sugar levels can weaken the defenses of the patient's immune system, [21] and skin complications in diabetics include the following: [22]

  • Skin infection: Diabetes increases the chance of developing a skin infection, which causes the following signs and symptoms: hot skin, a feeling of pain, a rash, itching, and sometimes small pimples, or the appearance of white secretions that resemble cheese, and a skin infection can occur in any area From the body including between the toes, around one or more nails and the scalp.
  • Scleroderma: This condition causes an increase in the thickness of the skin on the back of the hands and the difficulty of moving the fingers, and the problem of hard, thick and swollen skin may extend to appear on the arms and forearms, and the upper part of the back, shoulders and neck, and sometimes thick skin may spread on the face, shoulders and chest, Rarely, thick skin can appear over the knees, ankles, or elbows, making it difficult to extend and move or bend limbs.
  • Shin spots: This condition causes spots and sometimes lines to appear on the skin, especially the legs, and this condition is also known as Diabetic dermopathy, and in rare cases these spots may appear on the arms, thighs, trunk, or any other areas of the body, Often the spots are brown and do not cause any symptoms, and these spots and lines begin to fade after 18-24 months, usually, but in some cases they may last for life.


Hearing problems

It should be said that scientific studies on the relationship between diabetes and its effect on the sense of hearing are still limited, but the ear has a rich network of blood vessels that may be negatively affected by high blood sugar for a long time, and it is worth noting that the cochlear blood vessels in the ear are similar in shape. Significant in terms of anatomical and physiological structure with those in the kidney, indicating that the sense of hearing and its impairment can be affected in the same way that high blood sugar levels cause chronic renal failure as a result of vascular disease in the kidneys. [23]


Mouth and gum problems

Uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk of developing gingivitis, which is a major cause of tooth loss and is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. [24]


Alzheimer's disease

Doctors do not yet know the causes of Alzheimer's disease, or how diabetes increases the chance of developing Alzheimer's, but research indicates that high blood sugar levels increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's in several ways, including that diabetes increases the risk of heart disease. And stroke, which harms the heart and blood vessels in the brain and causes damage, and the brain depends on many chemicals, which may be upset due to an increase in insulin, which stimulates Alzheimer's disease, and finally, high blood sugar causes inflammation, which may lead It damages brain cells, and increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. [25]


Risk of depression

A study published in the high-level Archives of Internal Medicine in 2010 showed that depression increases the risk of developing diabetes, and that diabetes increases the risk of developing depression, and the researchers interpreted the results given that stress is a factor that increases It reduces the risk of diabetes and depression, and people with depression have high levels of stress hormones such as: cortisol, which leads to problems in metabolizing sugar in the blood, increased insulin resistance, and the accumulation of belly fat, which increases the risk of diabetes, as for an increased risk of injury With depression in diabetics, the long-term stress and stress associated with diabetes treatment, such as:Controlling blood sugar and treating complications, may lead to a decrease in the quality of life and an increase in the likelihood of depression, and changes in diet and lifestyle, and the need to take injections can lead to increased levels of stress and depression in patients with diabetes.[26]


Reducing the development of diabetes complications

After addressing the health complications that diabetes increases the possibility of their occurrence, it is necessary to explain the preventive methods that protect the patient and help limit the development of these complications, and the following is an explanation:

  • Controlling blood sugar level: This is done by following a healthy eating plan, practicing physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week, or at a rate of 30 minutes for five days per week, and controlling blood pressure so that it is less than 140/90 mm Hg or as seen Doctor fit, control cholesterol levels, and refrain from smoking. [10]
  • Reducing the risk of developing diabetic foot by inspecting the feet on a daily basis, and paying attention to warning signs such as: redness, pain, blisters, wounds, or other sores, wearing comfortable shoes, washing the feet regularly and drying them carefully, especially between the toes, and using Moisturizing creams to prevent drying and cracking of the skin, cutting nails straight, avoiding cutting at the corners of the nails, avoiding high and low temperatures, testing the water temperature before bathing, seeing a doctor or a podiatrist urgently when abnormal marks appear on the feet, and among the practices that They should be avoided to protect the feet, avoid walking with bare feet, whether inside or outside the home, and not trying to treat nails and thick skin with a sharp tool or chemicals on their own and without visiting a doctor to take the appropriate action, and avoid wearing tight socks because they can reduce blood flow to the feet.[27]
  • Take care to undergo medical examinations and tests designed to monitor the development of diabetes and its complications, the most important of which are: [28] [29]
    • Ophthalmic examination: the eyes should be examined periodically and regularly, as the doctor deems appropriate, and during the ophthalmological examination, the pupil is expanded to examine the retina.
    • Foot examinations: The foot should be examined annually from the beginning of the diagnosis in type 2 diabetes patients, and annually after five years in type 1 diabetes patients, and during the foot examination the doctor looks for changes such as: sores, cold feet, thin skin, and skin color Bluish-colored, as the doctor tests the sensation in the feet to determine whether it is normal or decreased.
    • Kidney examination: It is recommended to undergo urine tests for type 1 diabetes patients five years after the diagnosis, and from the beginning of the diagnosis in patients with type 2 diabetes, and for these tests to be performed at least once a year.
    • Oral and dental examination: You should see a dentist for cleaning and checking them periodically every 6 months.
    • Cholesterol test: Patients with diabetes should check the level of cholesterol in the blood annually, or more frequently if the levels are abnormal.
    • Check blood pressure: Your blood pressure should be measured periodically when you see a doctor.
    • Cumulative glucose test: The cumulative blood glucose level should be checked every 3 months if the readings are not under control, or every 6 months if the readings are under control.
  • Reducing the risk of depression: The risk of depression in patients with diabetes can be reduced by identifying common triggers for diabetes and depression, trying to treat them, controlling or preventing stress and inflammatory responses, and making some lifestyle changes, such as: increasing physical activity or exercise , Diet modification, rest and sleep, social interaction, and use of mindfulness techniques. [30]


References

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