Complications of Diabetes

It is very important to know the possible complications of diabetes. Mainly because avoiding them is easier than curing them totally once they appear.

One should remember that these complications are avoided by performing a good self-control of the illness.

Short-Lasting Complications:

  • HYPOGLYCAEMIA:

    It is an excessive descent of the blood glucose level (lower than 60 mg/dl).

    It appears, with more or less intensity, with sickliness, disorientation, cold sweat, trembling, weakness, and even convulsions and loss of consciousness.

    Once the hypoglycaemia is detected, one should act this way:

    • If it is possible, a control of the blood sugar level should be done to make sure that we are really in front of a hypoglycaemia.

    • Something with many carbohydrates must be eaten or drunk immediately (a juice, sugar...). If the symptoms are still present after five minutes, more carbohydrates should be eaten or drunk.

    • In case of severe hypoglycaemia with loss of consciousness, Glucagon has to be injected. It is a hormone that, like the insulin, is created at the pancreas. Its main function is increasing the blood’s sugar level, using the glucose that is inside the liver.

    The hypoglycaemia is usually caused by an excess of insulin or oral treatment, insufficient food -mainly carbohydrates-, delay of meals, excessive physical activity, or the combination of some of this facts.


  • PRESENCE OF KETONES:

    It is the clinic manifestation of an excess of glucose in the blood, with intensity of urine and thirst.

    If the treatment is not fast and efficient, there may be an increase of ketones (that appear in the urine) and the progressive acidification of the blood.

    The most intense grade of this complication is the diabetic coma, which can be very dangerous. It is normally caused by a short administration of insulin, by the existence of an added illness (infection...) and also by an important dietetic transgression.


Long-Lasting Complications:

  • Tendency of the big arteries to becoming old precociously, which increases the risk of vascular accidents, heart attacks and a bad transportation of blood to the legs, with the subsequent bad and slow healing of apparently non-dangerous wounds.

  • Specific affectation of the eyes (diabetic retinopathy) with risk of losing vision.

  • Specific affectation of the kidney (diabetic nefropathy), with risk of suffering renal insufficiency. This can lead to needing dialysis or a renal transplant.

  • Specific affection of the nerves (diabetic neuropathy), with appearance of sensibility upheavals (especially at arms and legs) and loss of men’s sexual faculty.

  • If diabetes is wrong-controlled, women’s fertility can be affected.

  • The body’s capability to fight infections diminishes.

  • Skin injuries can appear.


In most of the cases, these injuries only take place if diabetes is not under control for years. Thus, we should remark that the best way to avoid and, if they exist, control them, is self-controlling well the blood glucose level, so that it ranges in levels close to those of the non-diabetic people.


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