Complications of Diabetes

Pennington Nutrition Series

Our mission is to discover the triggers of chronic diseases through innovative research that improves human health across the lifespan.

.Complications of Diabetes

? Diabetes is a chronic (or lifelong) disease that can result in

both long term and short term complications.

? Long term complications are caused by years of high blood

sugar levels in the blood vessels.

? Risk of complications increase the longer blood sugar levels

are not under control. Many diabetes complications don't

appear until after many years of having the disease.

? In the early stages, many long term complications have no symptoms. Most of these

complications can be prevented or minimized with regular medical care and blood sugar

monitoring.

? Emergency complications are short term complications and can be caused by very high

(hyperglycemia) or very low(hypoglycemia) blood

sugar levels in people with diabetes. ? Diabetes care is a team approach to effectively help

people cope with the vast array of complications that

Potential Diabetes Complications:

can result from diabetes.

? Heart disease

Members of the

? Kidney disease

Diabetes Care Team

? Eye complications ? Diabetic

neuropathy and

Primary Care Physician

Certified Diabetes Educator

Dietitian

nerve damage ? Foot complications ? Skin complications

Pharmacist

Dentist

Endocrinologist

? Mental Health disorders

? Diabetic

Eye Doctor

Mental Health Expert

Person with Diabetes & Family & Friends

Emergencies

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Pennington Biomedical Research Center Pennington Nutrition Series

Diabetes and Heart Disease

Heart and blood vessel disease are the most common long-term complications of diabetes.

Coronary artery disease is caused by a narrowing or blocking of the blood vessels to the heart. It is the most common form of heart disease. The blood vessels to the heart are important because the blood flowing through them carries oxygen and other necessary materials. Unfortunately, these blood vessels can become partially or totally blocked by fatty deposits. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart is reduced or cut off.

People with diabetes have a higher risk for some cardiovascular diseases, including:

?

Heart attack (caused by a blockage of the blood vessels supplying blood to

the heart)

?

Stroke (caused by a blockage of the blood vessels supplying the brain)

?

Blocked blood vessels in the legs and feet, which can lead to foot ulcers,

infections, and even loss of a toe, foot, or lower leg

Whether a person has diabetes or not, the risk for these problems increase due to:

?

Smoking

?

Obesity

?

Abnormal levels of blood lipids (triglycerides or cholesterol)

?

High blood pressure

?

Family history of heart attack or stroke before age 50

How to reduce Risk of Complications:

Knowing your ABCs

"A" is for A1C

"B" is for blood pressure

"C" is for cholesterol

A1C is the blood glucose check "with a memory." It determines average blood glucose control over the past 2 to 3 months.

Blood pressure (BP) numbers are the force of blood inside the blood vessels. With a high blood pressure, this means that the heart is having to work harder than it should. Cholesterol numbers are the amount of fat in the blood. Good cholesterol(HDL), help protect the heart. Bad cholesterol(LDL), can clog the blood vessels, leading to heart disease.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends an A1C below 7. However, goals may be different for each individual. The ADA recommends a BP below 130/80.

Total Cholesterol ................
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