Complications of diabetes

Complications are the negative effects of having a condition or illness. There is a range of complications that may develop with diabetes.

Many of the complications of diabetes are much more likely to occur if you have high blood glucose levels or high blood pressure over long periods of time. Keeping both your blood glucose level and your blood pressure in as healthy a range as you can is your best defence against developing the complications of diabetes.

Remember that every improvement you make to your blood glucose level or blood pressure will reduce your risk of developing complications. You don't have to be in the target range to reduce your risks; although you will get the best improvement the closer your blood pressure and blood glucose are to target levels.

Eyes Eye Photo.

Diabetes has been the leading cause of people developing blindness in New Zealand. However you can to do a lot to cut down the chance of developing eye problems. Existing damage can often be halted, or prevented from getting worse. Diabetes eye damage must be picked up early for it to be successfully stopped or treated. It's very important that you have a full diabetes eye check when you first know you have diabetes, and regular eye checks after that.

Feet Feet photo.

People with diabetes are more likely to develop foot problems. Problems are very often in the form of nerve damage and / or damage to your blood vessels. It is possible to prevent foot problems developing. Prevention depends on you taking good care of your feet every day, maintaining healthy blood glucose and blood pressure levels and keeping in close contact with your doctor or foot specialist.

Kidneys

In the past quite a large number of people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes developed kidney disease. Now that people are able to monitor and improve their own blood glucose levels it's thought that a lot less people will develop this problem. In addition, recent advances in the treatment of high blood pressure in those with diabetes should cut these rates even further.

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