Macrovascular Complications Of Diabetes

Higher levels of physical activity (more than 90 minutes per day) reduce the risk of diabetes by 28%. Dietary changes known to be effective in helping to prevent diabetes include maintaining a diet rich in whole gains and fiber, and choosing good fats, such as the polyunsaturated fats found in nuts, vegetable oils, and fish. Limiting sugary beverages and eating less red meat and other sources of saturated fat can also help prevent diabetes. Tobacco smoking is also associated with an increased risk of diabetes and its complications, so smoking can be an important preventive measure as

Diabetes is a disease that can lead to heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, nerve damage, or blindness (Turkoski, 2006). It not only costs many individuals their lives, but it also causes untold emotional and physical problems for people with diabetes and their families. In addition, the cost of care associated with diabetes and the associated complications exceeds $132 billion annually.

Why do we treat diabetes? There are a number of downstream events associated with abnormal blood glucose levels. If glucose levels are managed properly, the complications associated diabetes can be controlled, and sometimes completely prevented. The main problem with having more than the normal amount of glucose circulating in the blood stream is the effect that excess glucose can have on both large and small blood vessels (DTC, 2004). Micro-vascular and macro-vascular problems associated with diabetes can be seen in the heart, eyes, kidney, legs and feet. Diabetic patients are twice as likely to suffer from a mycocardial infaraction, twenty-five times more likely to suffer blindness, and seventeen times more likely to suffer kidney failure compared to a non-diabetic (DTC, 2004). Because of great number of risks associated with abnormal blood glucose levels, diabetes is aggressively treated to improve the quality of life and prevent complications in patients.

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of developing primarily vascular complications that contribute to morbidity and mortality of diabetic patients. Poor glycaemic control leads to vascular complications that affect large (macrovascular), small (microvascular) vessels or both. Macrovascular complications include coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and stroke. Microvascular complications contribute to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), nephropathy (kidney disease) and retinopathy (eye disease).

Diabetes can affect the entire body. Two-thirds of adults with diabetes have high blood pressure, or hypertension. This condition is serious because it leads to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney and eye problems.

The heart, nerves, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes and other organs can be negatively impacted by uncontrolled diabetes. The goal is to keep the blood sugar normal most of the time to avoid these complications.

There are many different complications that are caused by diabetes. If you have diabetes, you are up to five times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke (WHO). When the blood glucose levels are increasing it results in the furring and narrowing of your blood vessels which may result in a poor blood supply to the heart. This can lead to a heart attack or a stroke. This doesn’t only put the patient’s life at risk but it also results in a huge cost on the NHS. It can also affect the patient’s family a friends hugely emotionally but also physically if they are in need of care after the event. It can change the patient’s life style dramatically. It is not only the blood vessels near the heart that are affected it is also the blood vessels in the nerves. This

Diabetics have an insulin problem Diabetes is a result of insulin not performing its job correctly. Since insulin does more than remove glucose from the bloodstream, including producing proteins, storing fats, and other metabolic processes, diabetes can have severe consequences. If it is not treated properly diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, eye problems (including blindness), kidney failure, problems with teeth and gums, male sexual problems, nerve problems, and circulation problems. The circulation problems could result in foot or leg amputation (Reddy 2).

According to an article published by Mayo Clinic (source 4), there are many complications, some are even considered life threatening, that may develop in after a person develops diabetes. Doctors agree that the less-controlled your diabetes and the longer you have diabetes, the higher your chance of developing complications that result from diabetes. The following is a list of complications that could result from diabetes and they are gathered from both pages of the 4th source in the works cited list:

This article goes in detail about the complications of Type 2 Diabetes, on how hyperglycemia damages the vascular system leading to microvascular disease and macrovascular disease. The complications of microvascular disease are diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic neuropathy. On the other hand, with macrovascular disease includes Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD), such as Atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the article gives recommendations of treating Type 2 Diabetes and the prevention of its health related complications with medication, screening, diet, and exercise.

Long-term effects of diabetes can cause many serious complications: heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputations, and kidney disease and nerve damage. These complications are usually progressive and develop over time due to poor control of blood glucose levels. High blood glucose levels cause a narrowing of all the vessels, blockage, and high blood pressure.

Microvascular complications. - those resulting from damage to small blood vessels - are the most common complications of diabetes and include:

Diabetes affects the body system as it increases blood pressure and has a highly risk of heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases and strokes which severely increases. It also can cause the blood vessels in the back of the eyes to swell; leak and can affect the kidney which means that there’s a highly chance of kidney failure. Diabetes has an effect on the skin because of the effect

Diabetes not only leads to a lifetime on medication, but a host of other health complications. Some health risks and problems are preventable while others can be controlled. Medication for one disease can cause need for medication for other diseases. For example, hypertension in a diabetic can required medication for other health complication. If a person has diabetes in many cases they also must take medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol. Heart attacks are a complication from diabetes, even if a person is on full medication. Diabetics are twice as likely to be hospitalized or die from a heart attack. They can also suffer a debilitating stroke. Other complications from diabetes include blindness and eye problems. Diabetes is the number one cause of preventable blindness in the developed world. Diabetes also is the cause of kidney failure in half of all new cases; most people on dialysis are diabetics. And amputations of limbs amputated every year occur because of complications from Type 2

Most patients who have diabetes for an extended amount of time may end up with diabetic neuropathy, which is damage caused to the nerves; it affects the peripheral nerves, autonomic nerves, and focal nerves. From the high blood sugar, it can destroy parts of the patient’s blood vessels, heart, and kidneys. If diabetes is not treated, it will almost always cause heart disease or kidney disease.