By Beverleigh H Piepers
According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, as many as 23.6 million Americans are suffering from both direct and indirect complications of Type 2 diabetes. As well as that unbelievable number, around 29.5 percent of American adults have prediabetes. Most people with Type 2 go through a phase of prediabetes, where they have slightly raised blood sugar levels without having full-blown diabetes. Prediabetes is defined as having a fasting blood sugar reading of 100 to 125 mg/dL.
Over a number of years, uncontrolled blood sugar causes serious damage to blood vessels and nerves, leading to complications such as:
* heart disease
* loss of vision
* kidney failure
* amputations, and
* impotence
There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, although it can certainly be controlled, and the following outcomes avoided:
1. Stroke and complications of the heart: As mentioned by the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, heart disease has been the cause of death in 65 percent of cases in the older age group in the year 2004. Within this age group,16 percent had stroke complications brought about by uncontrolled blood sugar.
It is now known people having prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes are two to three times more likely to suffer complications of the heart and suffer a stroke than people without these conditions. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse explains uncontrolled blood sugar levels trigger the deposition of fatty deposits in the blood vessel walls causing the development of atherosclerosis, the clogging and hardening of blood vessels. Atherosclerosis, in turn, is the most important independent factor to the development of stroke and heart complications.
2. Blindness: Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness in adults in the United States. In fact, diabetic retinopathy, the complication affecting nerve tissues of the eyes, causes around twelve thousand to fourteen thousand new cases of blindness per year. Chronic uncontrolled blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the eyes resulting in the clogging of these tiny blood supply carriers. With this compromised blood supply, deterioration of nerve tissues in the eye guarantees the development of gradual blindness. Seventy-eight percent of people with Type 2 diabetes experience eye disease due primarily to their health condition.
3. Renal failure: Diabetes is the most common cause of renal failure in the United States according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Both small and large blood vessel complication can lead to kidney problems. High blood pressure and high blood sugar can be a dangerous combination for your kidneys. About 15 percent of people with Type 2 will develop kidney disease, known as renal disease or nephropathy. Diabetes causes 40 percent of all end-stage renal disease or kidney failure. To prevent this health issue becoming a problem, annual laboratory testing in all diabetic patients is essential.
4. Your Feet: Diabetes accounts for approximately half of all non-emergency amputations, but many experts agree doing a foot self-exam every day can prevent most foot complications from becoming severe. Your feet are the targets of both large blood vessel and small blood vessel complications. In the first place, peripheral vascular disease affects blood circulation to your feet. In the second place, the nerve cells in your feet which control sensation, can be altered through complications of the small blood vessels. Nerve damage can also affect your feet's muscles and tendons, causing weakness and changes to the foot's shape.
Preventing complications for Type 2 diabetes revolves around blood sugar control, exercise, and low-fat eating which are the same things that can prevent Type 2 diabetes in the first place.
According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, as many as 23.6 million Americans are suffering from both direct and indirect complications of Type 2 diabetes. As well as that unbelievable number, around 29.5 percent of American adults have prediabetes. Most people with Type 2 go through a phase of prediabetes, where they have slightly raised blood sugar levels without having full-blown diabetes. Prediabetes is defined as having a fasting blood sugar reading of 100 to 125 mg/dL.
Over a number of years, uncontrolled blood sugar causes serious damage to blood vessels and nerves, leading to complications such as:
* heart disease
* loss of vision
* kidney failure
* amputations, and
* impotence
There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, although it can certainly be controlled, and the following outcomes avoided:
1. Stroke and complications of the heart: As mentioned by the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, heart disease has been the cause of death in 65 percent of cases in the older age group in the year 2004. Within this age group,16 percent had stroke complications brought about by uncontrolled blood sugar.
It is now known people having prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes are two to three times more likely to suffer complications of the heart and suffer a stroke than people without these conditions. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse explains uncontrolled blood sugar levels trigger the deposition of fatty deposits in the blood vessel walls causing the development of atherosclerosis, the clogging and hardening of blood vessels. Atherosclerosis, in turn, is the most important independent factor to the development of stroke and heart complications.
2. Blindness: Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness in adults in the United States. In fact, diabetic retinopathy, the complication affecting nerve tissues of the eyes, causes around twelve thousand to fourteen thousand new cases of blindness per year. Chronic uncontrolled blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the eyes resulting in the clogging of these tiny blood supply carriers. With this compromised blood supply, deterioration of nerve tissues in the eye guarantees the development of gradual blindness. Seventy-eight percent of people with Type 2 diabetes experience eye disease due primarily to their health condition.
3. Renal failure: Diabetes is the most common cause of renal failure in the United States according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Both small and large blood vessel complication can lead to kidney problems. High blood pressure and high blood sugar can be a dangerous combination for your kidneys. About 15 percent of people with Type 2 will develop kidney disease, known as renal disease or nephropathy. Diabetes causes 40 percent of all end-stage renal disease or kidney failure. To prevent this health issue becoming a problem, annual laboratory testing in all diabetic patients is essential.
4. Your Feet: Diabetes accounts for approximately half of all non-emergency amputations, but many experts agree doing a foot self-exam every day can prevent most foot complications from becoming severe. Your feet are the targets of both large blood vessel and small blood vessel complications. In the first place, peripheral vascular disease affects blood circulation to your feet. In the second place, the nerve cells in your feet which control sensation, can be altered through complications of the small blood vessels. Nerve damage can also affect your feet's muscles and tendons, causing weakness and changes to the foot's shape.
Preventing complications for Type 2 diabetes revolves around blood sugar control, exercise, and low-fat eating which are the same things that can prevent Type 2 diabetes in the first place.
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