Diabetes complications

We are always teaching patient’s that having high blood glucose readings often is bad for them…but are we educating them on why? The long term effects of hyperglycemia can be detrimental to a diabetic. Below are some of the longterm effects:

Some facts about long term effects:

Long term complications do not occur in young children. In fact, the greatest risk for complications seem to start after puberty. *In young diabetics (under 5 years of age) the recommended BG is 80-200 and for ages 5-11, the recommended range for BG is 70-180*  This is because the young diabetic’s brain is still developing and a high BG is less detrimental at this age than hypoglycemia.

After puberty, the blood vessels usually stay normal in diabetics with good BG control.  In those that do not have good BG control, blood vessels may change.

Around the time of puberty, growth hormone, sex hormones and other hormones increase and cause BG levels to increase making it more difficult to manage BG levels.

Complications:

Eyes- Cataracts, retinal changes or retinopathy

Kidneys – kidney disease or diabetic nephropathy

Neuropathy(nerve damage)

Coronary and other blood vessel narrowing

Joint contractures

Birth defects(to babies born with diabetic mother)

Foot problems

This information was found in Understanding Diabetes