Complications of diabetes

The key to minimizing or keeping the complications of diabetes at bay is in tight blood glucose control and exercise. This is the theme of the following three articles about the complications of diabetes.

Unfortunately, some of the complications are more problematic and extra care must be taken. All three articles stress the importance of strict blood glucose control.

• Article 1   Three pages
• Article 2   Two pages
• Article 3   Two pages

There are many more articles available on the web relating to the complications of diabetes.

The complications are:

• neuropathy which can be characterized as peripheral neuropathy or diabetic neuropathy and is about 60% chance of occurring.
• heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke risks are doubled. Heart disease and stroke cause at least 65% of deaths from diabetes.
• diabetic retinopathy or major eye complications are common as is cataracts and glaucoma. Broken blood vessels in the eyes is the main cause or preventable blindness.
• Serious leg and foot infections are the major cause of most amputations and is generally cause by poor blood circulation and poor foot care.
• Kidney damage is another complication of diabetes.

All three articles state that the damage is preventable and need not continue to progress if strict control is maintained on blood glucose levels and an exercise plan is followed. We all need to be aware that the risks are there and that they can be managed.