- 1. Diabetic foot
- 2. Kidney damage
- 3. Eye problems
- 4. Diabetic neuropathy
- 5. Heart problems
- Complications of gestational diabetes
Complications of diabetes usually occur due to poor control of the disease, which causes an exaggerated rise in blood sugar for a long time, causing injuries throughout the body, including eyes, kidneys, blood vessels, heart and nerves.
However, the complications of diabetes can be easily avoided with an adequate diet, physical activity and use of oral antidiabetics or insulin, prescribed by the doctor. See how to do the right treatment and avoid these complications.
1. Diabetic foot
Diabetic foot is one of the most frequent complications of diabetes and is characterized by skin wounds and lack of sensation in the foot, due to lesions in blood vessels and nerves, and, in very severe cases, amputation of the affected limb may be necessary.
To treat this problem it is necessary to make dressings at the medical post and it is important to wash and dry the feet daily and apply moisturizing cream, especially on the heels. See more about how to identify and treat diabetic foot.
2. Kidney damage
Diabetic nephropathy is a change in the blood vessels of the kidneys that lead to difficulties in filtering the blood, which can lead to kidney failure and the need for hemodialysis, which consists of replacing kidney function with a machine.
A sign that indicates the occurrence of nephropathy is the presence of albumin in the urine, and the greater the amount of albumin in the urine, the more severe the state of the nephropathy.
3. Eye problems
If diabetes is not well controlled, the following may occur:
- Cataracts in which opacity forms in the lens of the eye, leaving blurred vision; Glaucoma, which is an injury to the optic nerve, which can lead to loss of the visual field; Macular edema in which deposition and accumulation of fluids and proteins occur in the macula of the eye, which is the central region of the retina, making it thicker and swollen; Diabetic retinopathy in which there is damage to the blood vessels in the retina of the eyes, which can cause permanent blindness. Learn more at: Diabetic retinopathy.
If the patient feels blurred or blurred vision, he / she should go to the ophthalmologist and, once diabetic retinopathy is detected, its treatment can be done through laser photocoagulation, surgeries or intraocular injections.
4. Diabetic neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy, which is the progressive degeneration of the body's nerves, which causes decreased sensitivity in parts of the body, such as the feet, giving rise to the diabetic foot or a burning, cold or tingling sensation in the affected limbs. See how to treat diabetic neuropathy.
5. Heart problems
When diabetes is not controlled there is a greater risk of developing myocardial infarction, high blood pressure or even having a stroke.
In addition to these complications can arise:
- Peripheral vascular disease in which the arteries in the legs and feet suffer obstruction or occlusion, which leads to narrowing and hardening of the arteries; Impotence; Periodontal disease that is an inflammation of the gums that, if left untreated, can lead to tooth loss; Infections, because sugar makes the body's defenses weaker, facilitating the appearance of various diseases.
Thus, the performance of systematic preventive exams and rapid access to treatment are considered relevant for the prevention of these complications of diabetes.
Complications of gestational diabetes
Complications of gestational diabetes arise during pregnancy and can be:
- Excessive growth of the fetus which can result in complications at birth; Development of diabetes in the future; Higher risk of miscarriage or of the baby dying shortly afterwards; Little blood sugar or other illness in the newborn, because after delivery the baby no longer receives glucose from the mother;
To prevent these complications, it is important to detect the disease early by conducting several tests for blood sugar and urine levels, and this is done at regular surveillance visits throughout pregnancy.
