Diabetes Mellitus- Complications of Diabetes -III
Chronic or late complications of diabetes:
1. Complications of the nervous system (diabetic neuropathy): Almost ninety percent of diabetics suffer from one or the other complication of the nervous system. However, only 25-50% of them have to face serious complications. The most common complications of the nervous system are derangements of the touch sensation. Somtimes touch sensation becomes abnormally acute (hyperesthesia). The patient experiences a burning sensation in his limbs. He is more troubled during the night when he cannnot even tolerate a light covering and remains awake. At other times the touch sensation is dulled so that the patient experiences numbness in his limbs.
The undesirable effects on the autonomous nervous system bring about a decrease in the efficiency of the urinary bladder. This either leads to incomplete emptying of the bladder or uncontrollable dribbling of the urine. When the bladder cant be emptied completely, the retained or residual urine harbours disease causing bacteria which leads to the inflammation of the theurinary bladder (cystitis).
2. Complications of the excretory system (diabetic nephropathy): Five or more years after the onset of diabetes, the kidneys start getting harmed. About fifteen percent of diabetics succumb to some renal complication or renal failure. Diabetes gives rise to hardening of the glomeruli, the filtering units of kidneys. This condition is known as 'glomerulosclerosis'. Besides, the blood vessels of kidneys also become hard and narrow. This leads initially to loss of proteins in the urine and then gradually to a rise in blood pressure, a swelling all over the body and kidney failure. When kidney failure ensues, serum urea and serum creatinine levels begin to rise, nausea and vomitting occurs and the patient gradually loses consciousness. The condition is usually climaxed by a total loss of consciousness (called uremic coma) which usually proves irreversible and fatal. Diabetics more commonly suffer from an inflammation of the kidneys called pyelonephritis.
3. Complications of the Cardiovascular System: Diabetes speeds up the process of atherosclerosis i.e., the degeneration of the blood vessels. In diabetics, the innner surface of blood vessels gets deposited not only with cholestrol but also with Calcium. Consequently flexible and elastic blood vessels are transformed into hard and narrow pipes. Due to narrowing of blood vessels various organs of the body and the limbs do not get adequate nourishment. That is the reason why even after a short walk a diabetic experiences pain in his calf muscles.
A disorder of the blood vessels of the limbs called peripheral arterial disease is more common in diabetics. If this disease advances too much then it may terminate in gangrene. Due to hardening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) , the incidence of high blood pressure is very high in diabetics and high blood pressure may also be a result of some renal complication. Disorder of coronary arteries ar found to be more common and more severe in diabetics. Mortality rate due to coronary artery disease is two times higher in diabetics as compared to healthy persons.
When coronary arteries become narrow, the heart cannot obtain adequate nourishment. This leads to chest pain- angina pectoris. Complete obstrucion of coronary artery gives rise to a heart attack. The incident of heart attacks is three to six times higher in diabetics as compared to healthy persons. Helathy women are usually immune to coronary heart disease. But incidence of heart disease in diabetic women rises to a level equal to that in men. After a heart attack the chances for a diabetic to live for five more years are slim. Infact, many a diabetic succumb to the first heart attack. Degenerative changes in the arteries of a diabetic make him prone to cerebral haemorrhage. Cerebral haemorrhage may result into paralysis or even death.
4. Complications of the eye and the retina (diabetic retinopathy): Diabetic retinopathy is the third chief cause of blindness. Cataract and deficiency of Vitamin A are more important causes for blindness in develping countries. Diabetes chiefly affects the small blood vessels (capallaries) of the retina. Capalaries get abnormally dilated at some places and obstructed at other places. Degenerative changes occur in the cells of the retina. Besides, new defective capillaries rapidally grow into the retina. All these changes lead to a gradual diminution of vision. With the progress in degenerative changes, capallaries become thinner and thinner at the sites of dilatation and may rupture and thus leading to retinal or vitreous haemorrhage. Excessive bleeding into retina may lead to detachment of retina and cause sudden loss of vision.
The crystalline lens of the eye depends for the nourishment on the glucose dissolved in the aqueous humour (a dynamic fluid present inside the eye). Due to wide fluctuations in the amount of glucose in the blood and consequently that in the aqueous humour, the nutrition of the lens is thrown into disarray. This leads to a loss in transparency of the lens. This isnothing but Cataract. Diabetic cataract occurs very early in a patient's life and progresses rapidally.
Due to neo-vascularisation, the circulation of the fluid of the eye is jeopardised. This leads to an increase in the pressure inside the eyeball, a dreadful condition called glaucoma. Glaucoma, if not adequately controlled leads to gradual blindness.
5. Complication of the reproductive System: A diabetic woman has to face many problems during pregnancy. Diabetes creates risks to the life ofthe mother as well as the foetus. About twenty five percent of pregnant diabetic woman fall a victim to a dreadful condition called toxaemia of pregnancy. Toxaemia usually terminates into miscarriage. Diabetic women more often give birth to dead babies or babies with congenital defects.
Diabetic women develop very large babies in their wombs. This causes great difficulty during the delivery and both the mother as well as the baby have to face risks to an injury during delivery. Diabetes throws the marital life of its victim ito complete disarray. Diabetic women frequenty suffer from frigidity and diabetic men from sexual weakness or impotence. Disorders of autonomous nervous system too are partly responsible for this trouble.
6. Complications of the respiratry System: Diabetic persons easily contract infections of the respiratory tract. About fifteen percent of patients suffering from tuberculosis are found to have diabetes. Tuberculosis and diabetes undesirably affect each other to give rise to a vicious circle of complications. Many a time a diabetic person contracts tuberculosis after falling a prey to diabetic coma. Pus filled cavities (abscesses) are formed more often in the lungs of diabetics.
7. Complications of the digestive System: Diabetics have to face many disorders of the digestive system. Diabetics often suffer from nausea and vomitting. Nocturnal diarrhoea is also their common complaint. About twenty five percent of child diabetics suffer from enlargement of the liver. Gall stones are more common in diabetics. The mortality rate due to acute diseases of the gall bladder is five times higher in diabetics than in others. Diabetic coma arising due to defective metabolism of the dietary fats has been described earlier.
8. Complications of the feet: Corns, nail infections, athlete's foot (infection of the skin between the toes), etc., are much more common in diabetics. A high blood-glucose level, a diminution in the blood supply due to narrowing of blood vessels and disorders of the nervous system are the factors responsible for complications of the feet. In diabetes, even a trival foot injury may get transformed into dreadful gangrene which may necessitate amputation of the affected toe or the foot.
9. Other complications and infections: Diabetics easily contract skin diseases like erythrasma and moniliasis. Diabetes is sometimes suspected or detected after a person complains of infections of nails, corners of the mouth or the vagina. Xanthoma diabeticorum is another disorder commonly seen in diabetics. This disease is characterised by raised red-yellow spots of palms, soles, knees or buttocks. Prutitis valvae, a vaginal skin disease causing intense itching is commonly seen in diabetic women.
Thanks,
Team- Knowledge is Healing
1. Complications of the nervous system (diabetic neuropathy): Almost ninety percent of diabetics suffer from one or the other complication of the nervous system. However, only 25-50% of them have to face serious complications. The most common complications of the nervous system are derangements of the touch sensation. Somtimes touch sensation becomes abnormally acute (hyperesthesia). The patient experiences a burning sensation in his limbs. He is more troubled during the night when he cannnot even tolerate a light covering and remains awake. At other times the touch sensation is dulled so that the patient experiences numbness in his limbs.
The undesirable effects on the autonomous nervous system bring about a decrease in the efficiency of the urinary bladder. This either leads to incomplete emptying of the bladder or uncontrollable dribbling of the urine. When the bladder cant be emptied completely, the retained or residual urine harbours disease causing bacteria which leads to the inflammation of the theurinary bladder (cystitis).
2. Complications of the excretory system (diabetic nephropathy): Five or more years after the onset of diabetes, the kidneys start getting harmed. About fifteen percent of diabetics succumb to some renal complication or renal failure. Diabetes gives rise to hardening of the glomeruli, the filtering units of kidneys. This condition is known as 'glomerulosclerosis'. Besides, the blood vessels of kidneys also become hard and narrow. This leads initially to loss of proteins in the urine and then gradually to a rise in blood pressure, a swelling all over the body and kidney failure. When kidney failure ensues, serum urea and serum creatinine levels begin to rise, nausea and vomitting occurs and the patient gradually loses consciousness. The condition is usually climaxed by a total loss of consciousness (called uremic coma) which usually proves irreversible and fatal. Diabetics more commonly suffer from an inflammation of the kidneys called pyelonephritis.
3. Complications of the Cardiovascular System: Diabetes speeds up the process of atherosclerosis i.e., the degeneration of the blood vessels. In diabetics, the innner surface of blood vessels gets deposited not only with cholestrol but also with Calcium. Consequently flexible and elastic blood vessels are transformed into hard and narrow pipes. Due to narrowing of blood vessels various organs of the body and the limbs do not get adequate nourishment. That is the reason why even after a short walk a diabetic experiences pain in his calf muscles.
A disorder of the blood vessels of the limbs called peripheral arterial disease is more common in diabetics. If this disease advances too much then it may terminate in gangrene. Due to hardening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) , the incidence of high blood pressure is very high in diabetics and high blood pressure may also be a result of some renal complication. Disorder of coronary arteries ar found to be more common and more severe in diabetics. Mortality rate due to coronary artery disease is two times higher in diabetics as compared to healthy persons.
When coronary arteries become narrow, the heart cannot obtain adequate nourishment. This leads to chest pain- angina pectoris. Complete obstrucion of coronary artery gives rise to a heart attack. The incident of heart attacks is three to six times higher in diabetics as compared to healthy persons. Helathy women are usually immune to coronary heart disease. But incidence of heart disease in diabetic women rises to a level equal to that in men. After a heart attack the chances for a diabetic to live for five more years are slim. Infact, many a diabetic succumb to the first heart attack. Degenerative changes in the arteries of a diabetic make him prone to cerebral haemorrhage. Cerebral haemorrhage may result into paralysis or even death.
4. Complications of the eye and the retina (diabetic retinopathy): Diabetic retinopathy is the third chief cause of blindness. Cataract and deficiency of Vitamin A are more important causes for blindness in develping countries. Diabetes chiefly affects the small blood vessels (capallaries) of the retina. Capalaries get abnormally dilated at some places and obstructed at other places. Degenerative changes occur in the cells of the retina. Besides, new defective capillaries rapidally grow into the retina. All these changes lead to a gradual diminution of vision. With the progress in degenerative changes, capallaries become thinner and thinner at the sites of dilatation and may rupture and thus leading to retinal or vitreous haemorrhage. Excessive bleeding into retina may lead to detachment of retina and cause sudden loss of vision.
The crystalline lens of the eye depends for the nourishment on the glucose dissolved in the aqueous humour (a dynamic fluid present inside the eye). Due to wide fluctuations in the amount of glucose in the blood and consequently that in the aqueous humour, the nutrition of the lens is thrown into disarray. This leads to a loss in transparency of the lens. This isnothing but Cataract. Diabetic cataract occurs very early in a patient's life and progresses rapidally.
Due to neo-vascularisation, the circulation of the fluid of the eye is jeopardised. This leads to an increase in the pressure inside the eyeball, a dreadful condition called glaucoma. Glaucoma, if not adequately controlled leads to gradual blindness.
5. Complication of the reproductive System: A diabetic woman has to face many problems during pregnancy. Diabetes creates risks to the life ofthe mother as well as the foetus. About twenty five percent of pregnant diabetic woman fall a victim to a dreadful condition called toxaemia of pregnancy. Toxaemia usually terminates into miscarriage. Diabetic women more often give birth to dead babies or babies with congenital defects.
Diabetic women develop very large babies in their wombs. This causes great difficulty during the delivery and both the mother as well as the baby have to face risks to an injury during delivery. Diabetes throws the marital life of its victim ito complete disarray. Diabetic women frequenty suffer from frigidity and diabetic men from sexual weakness or impotence. Disorders of autonomous nervous system too are partly responsible for this trouble.
6. Complications of the respiratry System: Diabetic persons easily contract infections of the respiratory tract. About fifteen percent of patients suffering from tuberculosis are found to have diabetes. Tuberculosis and diabetes undesirably affect each other to give rise to a vicious circle of complications. Many a time a diabetic person contracts tuberculosis after falling a prey to diabetic coma. Pus filled cavities (abscesses) are formed more often in the lungs of diabetics.
7. Complications of the digestive System: Diabetics have to face many disorders of the digestive system. Diabetics often suffer from nausea and vomitting. Nocturnal diarrhoea is also their common complaint. About twenty five percent of child diabetics suffer from enlargement of the liver. Gall stones are more common in diabetics. The mortality rate due to acute diseases of the gall bladder is five times higher in diabetics than in others. Diabetic coma arising due to defective metabolism of the dietary fats has been described earlier.
8. Complications of the feet: Corns, nail infections, athlete's foot (infection of the skin between the toes), etc., are much more common in diabetics. A high blood-glucose level, a diminution in the blood supply due to narrowing of blood vessels and disorders of the nervous system are the factors responsible for complications of the feet. In diabetes, even a trival foot injury may get transformed into dreadful gangrene which may necessitate amputation of the affected toe or the foot.
9. Other complications and infections: Diabetics easily contract skin diseases like erythrasma and moniliasis. Diabetes is sometimes suspected or detected after a person complains of infections of nails, corners of the mouth or the vagina. Xanthoma diabeticorum is another disorder commonly seen in diabetics. This disease is characterised by raised red-yellow spots of palms, soles, knees or buttocks. Prutitis valvae, a vaginal skin disease causing intense itching is commonly seen in diabetic women.
Thanks,
Team- Knowledge is Healing
posted by KIH @ 4:14 AM
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