Diabetes Complications

It is always better to know and prevent a disease than to suffer from it. There are many discussions have been made on complications of diabetes. People can avoid these diabetes complications by the yearly or half-yearly checkup of kidney, eyes, heart and feet by the qualified specialists so that these complications, if present, can be diagnosed at an early stage and effectively treated before it becomes too late.

There are some acute complications of diabetes like Hypoglycemia, which is defined as a condition in which there is blood sugar concentration of less than 45 mg/dl. Sweating, hunger, trembling, confusion drowsiness, in-coordination and nausea are some of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. A diabetic patient cannot make normal use of sugar, and so sugar builds up in the blood. The kidneys of the diabetic patient discharge some of the excess sugar with the urine. In severe cases of diabetes, fats and proteins cannot also be used normally.

The type I diabetes so suddenly strikes some people that the lack of insulin hormone causes an emergency condition called diabetic ketoacidosis in the system. There is excess urination, thirst, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and difficulty in breathing. If the diabetic sufferer is not treated without delay, he or she may go into diabetic coma with fatal results. In case of type II diabetes, the patient used to have normal or even above normal production of insulin hormone. But their body system does not respond competently to the insulin. The symptoms of type II diabetes are great thirst, excessive urination, hunger and loss of weight and strength.

The most common causes of type II diabetes are unpunctual or inadequate meals, unusual or unexpected work out and ingestion of excessive alcohol. The sufferer should be taught that if the unusual work out is anticipated the preceding dose of insulin should be reduced and extra carbohydrate must be ingested. All diabetic sufferers taking insulin should carry with them glucose tablets. In fact, any form of mental or physical stress, particularly an acute infection or neglect of treatment due to carelessness can lead to ketoacidosis. There consequences are intense thirst and polyuria. Muscle cramps, constipation and altered vision are common in this disease. Hyperventilation at low blood pressure and acetone can be smelt in the breath and lastly the condition may lead to coma.

Ketonuria and Glycosuria would be there in the system. Blood sugar levels may be as high as 360-720 mg/dl and low blood pH and plasma bicarbonate. The severe condition should be treated with the extreme urgency in hospital or health care clinic. Intravenous fluid replacement is necessary at the condition as, even when the patient is able to swallow; fluids given by mouth may be poorly absorbed by the tissues. If 6 to 8 units of insulin per hour are given, blood sugar level can come down. Serious medical attention is needed and the blood glucose, electrolytes, pH, and ketones have to be monitored, hourly at first. The existence of excess glucose in the blood, over a period of time, damages all tissues in the blood, producing extensive manifestation with an increase in both morbidity and mortality. These complications may appear in any type of diabetes.

• Juliana Breckinridge
• 01/01/2009, 2:59 AM
• 0 Comments