Diabetes is a dangerous disease. The prevalence keeps increasing daily, probably because its danger are not known by many. Perhaps, that is the reason diabetes predisposing lifestyle are being indulged by many.
This article is designed to sensitize and educate the public on the dangers of diabetes when poorly managed or left untreated entirely. This is believed to help them change their lifestyles. Healthy lifestyle would lead to reduction in the prevalence and complications of diabetes. These dangers of diabetes otherwise known as complications of poorly managed diabetes include the following:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
Diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels are called cardiovascular diseases. When it comes to causes of death, CVDs are number one. Examples of CVDs include stroke, heart attack, heart failure etc. The chances of developing CVDs are 3 to 4 times higher in diabetics than in normal person. Cardiovascular diseases are mainly the reason one would go to bed looking healthy and fails to wake up the following morning. Where this kind of death occurs, most do attribute it to spiritual manipulations. To leave healthy, get tested of diabetes at least once every month. If diabetics is diagnosed, start to manage it immediately. This would make you free from developing CVDs secondary to diabetes.
See Best lifestyle approaches to diabetes management
Blindness
Diabetes leads to diabetic eye disease (retinopathy and early cataract formation). Most people who are diabetic are ignorant of it. Also, most diabetics including those who are aware of their condition are ignorant that they are having diabetic eye disease; that is for those who even know that diabetes leads to eye disease. Of course retinopathy has no visual symptoms. It is therefore necessary that every diabetic person have eye check immediately they are diagnosed of diabetes and then at least once every two years. Doing this would be highly beneficial to the diabetics as it would decrease their chances of going blind as a result of diabetes.
Chronic kidney disease
Diabetes when left untreated leads to chronic kidney disease which rapidly progresses to kidney failure. When the kidneys fail, the next thing is death . This information could be harsh but it is the truth. Having a persistent high level of sugar in the blood affects blood vessels including those of the kidneys. If the blood vessels of the kidneys are damaged, the kidneys are damaged as well. This is because one of the functional units of the kidneys called glomerulus is formed by blood vessels. Kidney transplant or dialysis shouldn’t be seen as an option. I guess you know the reason. Control your blood sugar level to protect your kidney which protects your life.
Poor wound healing
Do you know the reason the diabetes are advised not to walk bare-footed? It is because their wounds are difficult to heal. A wound even as little as those caused by a pin puncture can lead to their foot been cut off. Excessive sugar in their blood allows for fast multiplication of bacteria and this poses a problem to the wound healing process.
Diabetics foot disease (gangrene development)
This is the major reason the diabetics gets amputated. Gangrene is hard to treat and cutting off of the affected part is commonly the preferred treatment as debridement and antibiotics use usually fails.
Sexual dysfunction or impotence in men
Excessive sugar in the blood damages blood vessels. When blood vessels are damaged, the power of men falls and diabetes when left untreated leads to this.
Hypertension
Diabetes alone is a very dangerous disease but when hypertension joins it, the danger becomes red. It is hypertension that fast tracks other complications of diabetes such as diabetic disease of the eye, diabetic foot disease, chronic kidney disease plus stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Current data suggests that screening for hypertension in diabetics needs to be aggressive. In situation hypertension is present, treatment should begin immediately to avert or delay diabetes complications.
Infections
Bacteria thrive well in a high sugar environment while our body defense mechanism is badly affected by it. These two factors allow for easy contraction of infection by the diabetics which are hard to treat. Most times, the diabetics don’t survive the commonest infection known to man. That is the simple reason bacteria infection hardly allows their wound to heal. Tight control of their blood sugar can only allow for bacteria elimination and wound healing to take place.
A happy diabetic patient is the one who does not allow his blood sugar level to be persistently and excessively high through a healthy lifestyle and drug therapy when indicated. He hears of diabetes complications only from his healthcare providers. At times, he begins to wonder if they actually exist. His secret is tight control of his blood sugar level. He listens and heeds to his healthcare providers. That person can be anybody. It is possible to be diabetic with no complications. Adherence to healthy lifestyles for the diabetic and drug therapy when indicated is the key.