Diabetes can be a devastating disease to have, and if you’re reading this, it could mean that either you or someone you love has diabetes, or it’s very likely you know someone who has diabetes and is affected by its effects. These are the effects of diabetes that everyone needs to know about in order to protect themselves from becoming another statistic in the diabetes epidemic.
1) Blindness
Diabetes has many startling effects on people’s health, medications, and lifestyle. One of the most common diabetes-related complications is blindness. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop eye problems like cataracts or macular degeneration because their blood sugar levels can cause a buildup of fluids in the body, which can affect vision. One of the leading causes of vision loss in people with diabetes is Diabetic retinopathy. It damages the retina and can lead to blindness if not treated soon enough. Early detection is key for preventing long-term damage and complications that can come from this disease, so it’s important for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes to be screened regularly by an ophthalmologist or optometrist at least once a year.
2) Kidney damage
Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide and has no cure, but it can be managed. It is often referred to as the silent killer because, while there are many symptoms, they can all be attributed to other health problems. On top of that, it doesn’t have one key symptom and so many don’t even know they have it until it’s too late. For example, diabetes can lead kidney damage which will not show signs until the organ has been injured for some time. While there are some known complications, treatment options for diabetes may include medications or insulin injections for those who need them. These treatments do not reverse any damage already done though so early detection is important!
3) Amputations
Diabetes amputations are a huge problem in the United States. According to the National Institute of Health, more than 30% of people with diabetes will eventually have an amputation. This is due to uncontrolled high blood sugar levels that lead to complications like nerve damage, kidney failure, and cardiovascular disease. With diabetes rates skyrocketing as quickly as they are, it’s important for everyone – not just those who live with the condition – understand what diabetes can do and how it can be prevented.
You should also know that diabetes doesn’t just affect humans; it also affects animals. It’s been estimated that 25% of all domesticated dogs in the US suffer from diabetes because their owners feed them a diet high in carbohydrates and low in protein or fats.
4) High blood pressure
High blood pressure is a chronic condition that can lead to kidney disease, stroke, and heart attacks. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure can put you at an even higher risk for these complications. But there are some things you can do to keep your blood pressure in check: exercise regularly and stay active; eat a healthy diet; lose weight if needed. And don’t forget – rest is just as important as all the other steps! For more information on how you can control your blood pressure levels with diabetes, click here.
5) Heart disease and stroke
It is estimated that diabetes will cause 24% of all deaths from heart disease and stroke by 2030. This is something that everyone needs to know about, as it could affect you or someone you love. In fact, it has been shown that people with diabetes are twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke than those without the condition. There are ways we can help prevent this by making sure the person gets enough rest, stays healthy and active, eats a well-balanced diet, and maintains a healthy weight. These are just some tips for helping humans stay healthy!
6) Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most debilitating and widespread diseases in the United States. It is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday activities. Signs and symptoms generally worsen over time. Eventually people with Alzheimer’s may need around-the-clock care due to memory loss or other cognitive impairments. They may experience problems with language, disorientation or mood changes. Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The only treatments currently available are medications that attempt to slow the progression of the disease by reducing beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein deposits in the brain.
7) Sexual dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction is one of the many distressing side effects that can occur with diabetes. The condition can lead to decreased desire, erectile dysfunction and even vaginal dryness. A study found that a third of diabetic men had some form of sexual dysfunction, while more than half reported low libido and only 20% had no problems at all. Moreover, diabetic women are also at risk for sexual dysfunction. Women with diabetes are twice as likely as women without diabetes to experience low libido, while they’re three times as likely to have vaginal dryness.
8) Diabetic ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA for short, is a life-threatening complication that occurs when the body does not have enough insulin in the blood. This can happen if you are living with type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin injections every day in order to survive. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, can happen because your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or because your cells are resistant to its effects.
When it comes to type 1 diabetes and DKA, there are two major things that can cause this condition.
First, there’s an emergency where your pancreas stops producing any insulin at all. In this case, DKA develops within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. Second, some people who live with type 1 diabetes will experience an episode called hypoglycemia unawareness (HU). HU happens when blood glucose levels fall too low without someone realizing it’s happening. HU is more common among people who don’t test their glucose levels as often as they should and those who’ve had diabetes for a long time without making many lifestyle changes. Hypoglycemia means abnormally low blood sugar levels while unawareness means you’re completely unaware something is happening to your body even though signs are visible to others around you like slurred speech, shaky hands and more
