Diabetes is a serious disease that has a negative impact on all organs and systems of the patient. It requires the patient to constantly pay close attention to their he alth. But even with the correct treatment of the pathology and the implementation of all the recommendations of the doctor, various complications gradually develop. Diabetes is a chronic disease, so after diagnosis, you need to make a lot of changes in your lifestyle. In some patients, in the first years of the disease, due to incorrect compensation of sugar levels, various complications of diabetes develop, which may be accompanied by a life-threatening condition of the patient. The latter can lead to disability or severe chronic pathologies.
Why complications develop
Diabetes mellitus is characterized by elevated blood sugar levels. This pathology has two varieties. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, which is responsible for the uptake of glucose by cells, so it is in the blood, and not in the tissue.arrives. Especially because of this, the brain suffers, for which glucose is an energy source. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a normal level of insulin, but glucose does not enter the tissue, as cell resistance to it is impaired. Therefore, blood sugar levels are also elevated. And this condition after a while leads to damage to the walls of blood vessels.
Another cause of diabetes complications is oxidative stress. Usually in the body there is a certain amount of free radicals that are needed to oxidize the decay products. After doing their job, they are destroyed by antioxidants. But with elevated blood glucose levels, too many free radicals are formed, and the amount of antioxidants is reduced. Therefore, he althy cells are actively oxidized, which leads to their death, premature aging of the body or the development of various chronic diseases.
What are the complications
All complications from this disease can be divided into two groups: short-term and long-term (or chronic). Short-term additions of diabetes are easier to recognize, as they are manifested by pronounced symptoms. And they can develop in a matter of hours. The cause of such complications is too high or too low sugar levels. Often, a condition that is life-threatening for the patient develops - a diabetic coma. Short-term complications include:
- hypoglycemia - low blood sugar;
- hyperglycemia - increased sugar;
- diabetic ketoacidosis - ketone body poisoning.
In addition, patients often develop long-term or late complications over several years. These are chronic chronic diseases. Most often they are associated with damage to blood vessels, retina, peripheral nerves, feet and kidneys. If the complications of diabetes are not treated in time, this can lead to serious consequences, such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure or leg amputation.
Hypoglycemia
This is a common complication of type 1 diabetes, especially in the early years after diagnosis. After all, with this form of the disease, the level of sugar depends on the dose of insulin administered, diet and physical activity. Often it is required to select the dosage individually, each time different. However, if you inject too much insulin or skip meals after the injection, your blood sugar levels can drop dramatically. Hypoglycemia develops when it is below 4 mmol/l. If this level falls below 2.2 mmol/l, hypoglycemic coma develops.
This condition is life-threatening, so it is important to detect the onset of symptoms of hypoglycemia in time:
- headache;
- dizziness;
- excessive sweating;
- weakness;
- trembling limbs;
- nausea;
- strong feeling of hunger;
- depression;
- weakened concentration;
- double vision.
Hyperglycemia
Whenblood sugar levels are too high, they talk about the development of hyperglycemia. This condition appears when sugar rises above 7 mmol / l on an empty stomach or 11 mmol / l after a meal. It is the frequent occurrence of hyperglycemia that leads to damage to blood vessels, nerves and other tissues. This common complication of type 1 diabetes (and type 2 too) can develop for various reasons. Most often, this is the introduction of an insufficient dose of insulin or skipping the intake of a hypoglycemic drug. In addition, the use of such drugs implies the need for physical activity, its lack can lead to an increase in sugar levels. Drinking alcoholic beverages or high carbohydrate foods can also cause hyperglycemia.
This condition is dangerous to he alth: the longer the high sugar level lasts, the more likely it is to develop serious consequences for the patient's he alth. Therefore, it is important to notice the first symptoms of hyperglycemia in time and take a drug to reduce sugar. The danger is that many of its manifestations are similar to hypoglycemia (headache, blurred vision, weakness, loss of consciousness). But when the sugar level rises, the patient feels very thirsty, he has more frequent urination.
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Many patients who were diagnosed with this for the first time ask the doctor what complications of diabetes are the most dangerous. In addition to coma, which can develop if hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia is not treated, this is diabetic ketoacidosis. This condition is also life-threatening. It develops with a prolonged increase in the levelglucose. At the same time, to replenish energy reserves, the body begins to expend fats. Because of this, a large number of ketone bodies are formed in the blood. Diabetic ketoacidosis develops in just a few hours, so it is important to provide the patient with the necessary assistance in time. You need to pay attention to the following symptoms:
- abdominal pain;
- vomit;
- breathing disorder;
- tachycardia;
- dehydration;
- smell of acetone breath;
- disorientation.
Without timely treatment, the patient may faint or even fall into a coma. It is necessary to recognize such a condition in time and prevent it from progressing.
Late complications of diabetes
Such consequences are dangerous because at the initial stage they almost do not manifest themselves. They develop mainly 5-10 years after the diagnosis, so they are often also called delayed. Unlike short-term complications, they do not immediately cause severe discomfort. They develop for a long time due to constantly elevated blood sugar levels. Basically, they represent various chronic pathologies. These complications of diabetes include:
- myocardial infarction;
- atherosclerosis;
- stroke;
- ischemic heart disease;
- feet amputation;
- vision loss;
- impaired kidney function;
- infectious diseases of the urinary system;
- impaired immunity;
- decrease in sexualattraction.
Vascular damage
One of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes is vascular damage. Due to the lack of glucose in the tissues, the body tries to make up for the energy needs of cells at the expense of fats. As a result, fat metabolism is also disturbed. This leads to the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels - atherosclerosis develops. This also increases the risk of thrombosis. All this causes the development of coronary disease and other pathologies of the heart.
These complications are manifested by chest pains, cardiac arrhythmias, a feeling of heaviness and a squeezing sensation in the region of the heart during increased stress. Sometimes there is shortness of breath, a feeling of fear, increased sweating, weakness. A frequent complication of diabetes is also an increase in blood pressure. If this condition continues for a long time, it can lead to a stroke.
Eye injury
Due to the defeat of small vessels, the eyes suffer greatly. The permeability of capillary walls increases, as a result, tissues receive less nutrients and oxygen. Because of this, another complication of diabetes develops - diabetic retinopathy. It is characterized by damage to the retina of the eyes, resulting in a decrease in vision or its complete loss. Moreover, this pathology can develop in the initial stages asymptomatically.
In addition to reduced vision, cataracts, glaucoma, and frequent conjunctivitis may develop. Patients with excess weight are especially prone to such complications, withprolonged course of the disease, in the presence of anemia or kidney pathologies. Therefore, when blurred vision, fog before the eyes, it is necessary to examine the eyesight in order to start treatment of complications of diabetes in the eyes in time.
Kidney failure
As a result of vascular dysfunction, the kidneys also suffer. Such complications of diabetes also develop slowly, the cause of them is the frequent increase in blood sugar. They are called diabetic nephropathy. Damage to the vessels of the kidneys leads to urinary retention, nitrogenous compounds accumulate in the blood. Kidney failure develops and intoxication of the body is possible.
This pathology proceeds in a chronic form. Approximately 30% of patients are affected by it. Especially often it develops with decompensation of diabetes. If the onset of this complication is missed, kidney failure will progress rapidly.
Nerve damage
If you do not prevent the complications of diabetes, more serious consequences may develop. As a result of disruption of the vessels, damage to the peripheral nerves develops - diabetic polyneuropathy. In this condition, nerves can be damaged in any part of the body, mainly the legs, which lose sensation, are affected. But the following neurological symptoms may develop:
- tinnitus;
- numbness and tingling in the hands;
- muscle weakness;
- disruption of bowel function.
Feet problems
Mostfoot pathology is a common chronic complication of diabetes associated with peripheral vascular disease. Due to malnutrition of tissues, various wounds heal longer, the skin is more easily damaged and infected. Trophic ulcers, non-healing calluses form on the feet, a fungal infection often develops. This condition is called diabetic foot.
In addition, diabetes leads to damage to nerve fibers. Because of this, the sensitivity of the feet can be disturbed. The patient may not notice that he was injured, does not feel a change in temperature. But at the same time, severe burning pains in the feet, a feeling of tingling, crawling may appear. Loss of sensitivity of the feet leads to an incorrect distribution of the load when walking, and if the patient also has an increased body weight, various pathologies develop. Ulcers often appear, infection may occur, phlegmon or gangrene may develop.
Prevention of unpleasant consequences of the disease
Raising the topic of prevention of complications in diabetes mellitus, it should be noted that with this pathology one can live without suffering. Although this disease is considered incurable, serious complications can be avoided. It is only necessary to carefully control the level of glucose in the blood and follow the diet. Prevention of complications of diabetes is to follow all the recommendations of the doctor, drink all the prescribed medications in the right dosage and not allow the increase in sugar.
To do this, you need to regularly monitor your glucose levels and takemedical checkups. It is especially important to do cholesterol tests, check vision and blood pressure. It is necessary to prevent weight gain, avoid stress and give up bad habits. To prevent damage to the skin of the feet, it is necessary to regularly inspect them, prevent injury, wash daily and use a softening cream.
Treatment of complications of diabetes
Early complications are the easiest to deal with, although they are the most likely to cause life-threatening consequences. But if you learn to recognize a strong drop or rise in blood sugar in time, the onset of a coma can be prevented.
If you have hypoglycemia, you need to eat a few glucose tablets. If they are not at hand, you can replace them with a piece of sugar, candy or fruit juice. Be sure to check the sugar level every 10 minutes until it normalizes. If the patient has lost consciousness, it is urgent to call an ambulance. If possible, you need to make an injection of "Glucagon".
In diabetic ketoacidosis, when the sugar level rises above 15 mmol / l and ketone bodies accumulate in the blood, the patient can also fall into a coma. This condition develops with insufficient compensation for diabetes mellitus or with a violation of the daily regimen and nutrition. Therapy for ketoacidosis is carried out only in a hospital.
Treatment of complications of diabetes mellitus, which are associated with damage to the nerves and blood vessels, should be permanent and comprehensive. A complete examination is needed to help identify the presence ofpathologies. Usually symptomatic therapy is used. The patient is required to follow all the recommendations of the doctor and control the level of sugar.
