Type 1 diabetes: sequelae
Diabetes can lead to damage to the large and small blood vessels. The higher the blood sugar, the greater the risk
Diseases of the cardiovascular system
Vascular calcification (atherosclerosis) which develop in every person with age more or less pronounced, running in diabetes from often much faster and more intense. The narrowing and damage to the large blood vessels increase the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction , stroke and circulatory disorders of the legs. This is especially true in connection with additional risk factors such as smoking.
In diabetes, serious vascular complications such as heart attacks and
strokes occur many times more common than in people without diabetes. Changes in the large blood vessels can lead also to erectile dysfunction or to diabetic foot
Eyes: damage to the retina
Damage to the retina in the eye are the most common consequences of diabetes. You can even lead to blindness. As a result of vascular changes in the retina occur there an under-nutrition. This can trigger the growth of new, very fragile vessels. These burst and tear easily, resulting in bleeding in the eye. You can also grow into the vitreous or form membranes and detach the retina, which means the loss of vision. Various forms of laser treatment can reduce the risk of blindness in advanced retinal damage.
Diabetic kidney damage
In the kidneys, high blood sugar time is harmful for the small blood glomeruli. This affects the filtering effect of the kidneys ( diabetic nephropathy ). Valuable materials go so into the urine and are excreted. As the disease progresses, it can lead to renal failure.
Damage to the nervous system
A long-standing high blood sugar may be linked to the nerve cells left its mark ( diabetic neuropathy ). This can make varied noticeable. Some sufferers suffer discomfort such as numbness, tingling or pins and needles, especially in the feet. The sensation of temperature differences, pain or touch may also be reduced or fail completely.
Are the authorities responsible for the control of muscle nerve damage,
can lead to misalignments, such as a claw forming the toe. If the nerves are affected to the internal organs, which can lead to cardiac arrhythmia, impotence and indigestion.
Diabetic foot ulcers
The diabetic foot is primarily due to nervous disorders. But changes in the large and small vessels on the feet promote him further. The skin on the legs and feet is due to failure of the sweat dry-cracked and thus particularly vulnerable to injury. The warning function through pain does not apply to nerve damage. Wounds are often detected and treated late. delay circulatory disorders and weakened immune system in the long term high blood sugar or also prevent healing.
So banal skin damage can result from pressure sores (often by tight
shoes), cracks, infect smallest injury or athlete's foot undisturbed and
spread. Failure to heal the wound, amputation of toes, feet, lower leg or the whole leg may at worst be necessary.
The
guide was created in collaboration with Professor Diethelm Tschöpe the
Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia in Bad Oeynhausen
Professor Dr. med. Dr. hc Diethelm Tschöpe
is internal medicine, endocrinologist, diabetologist DDG, a
gastroenterologist and health economist and heads the Diabetes /
Endocrinology at Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia in Bad
Oeynhausen as clinic director.
He teaches at the Ruhr University in Bochum and is chairman of the
Foundation "The heart disease diabetes" in the German Diabetes
Foundation.
