Cardiovascular disease, the 800-pound gorilla of diabetes, is the number one cause of death in people with diabetes. Two in three people with diabetes will die of heart disease or stroke.
Being vigilant with your blood sugar may help. In a long-term study, researchers found that people with type 1 diabetes significantly lowered their risk of heart disease with tight blood sugar control, and experts believe people with type 2 may benefit as well.
However, blood-sugar vigilance may not be enough. To reduce your risk of heart attacks and stroke, you'll also need to keep an eye on blood pressure and cholesterol.
Beating depression
Good blood-sugar control also may help fight depression—the other 800-pound gorilla for people with type 2 diabetes.
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More about diabetes complications
There are good treatments for depression, including antidepressant medications, psychotherapy, and special classes geared toward patients with diabetes.
The key is seeking treatment if you feel depressed, because those who sink into the abyss of major depression have a greater risk of dying of diabetes-related complications than those who do not.
What are the complications of diabetes and their symptoms?
Over time, high blood sugar can cause complications such as problems with your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys. High blood sugar also makes you more likely to get serious illnesses or infections. Complications can lead to blindness, kidney failure, removal of a limb (amputation), heart attack, stroke, and death. This is why it is so important to keep your blood sugar in your target range.
If you had the disease several years before you were diagnosed, you may already have a complication from diabetes. Even if you don't have problems now, the longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to get one or more complications.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you notice any new symptoms, such as chest pain, numbness, or a shooting pain in your hands or feet.
How can you prevent complications?
You may be able to prevent, or at least delay, problems from diabetes by keeping your blood sugar level as close to normal as you can. Treatment of high blood pressure or high cholesterol can also help. If you smoke, quit. Smoking increases your risk for complications.
If you are age 30 or older, talk to your doctor about whether to take a low-dose aspirin each day to help prevent heart attack, stroke, or other large blood vessel disease. People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely than people who don't have diabetes to die from heart and blood vessel diseases.
See your doctor every 3 to 6 months. During these visits, your doctor will review your treatment and do tests and exams to see if your blood sugar is staying within your target range and if you have any complications. It’s also important to have regular checkups with your eye doctor and dentist. Diabetes can cause vision and dental problems.
Over time, high blood sugar can cause complications such as problems with your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys. High blood sugar also makes you more likely to get serious illnesses or infections. Complications can lead to blindness, kidney failure, removal of a limb (amputation), heart attack, stroke, and death. This is why it is so important to keep your blood sugar in your target range.
If you had the disease several years before you were diagnosed, you may already have a complication from diabetes. Even if you don't have problems now, the longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to get one or more complications.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you notice any new symptoms, such as chest pain, numbness, or a shooting pain in your hands or feet.
How can you prevent complications?
You may be able to prevent, or at least delay, problems from diabetes by keeping your blood sugar level as close to normal as you can. Treatment of high blood pressure or high cholesterol can also help. If you smoke, quit. Smoking increases your risk for complications.
If you are age 30 or older, talk to your doctor about whether to take a low-dose aspirin each day to help prevent heart attack, stroke, or other large blood vessel disease. People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely than people who don't have diabetes to die from heart and blood vessel diseases.
See your doctor every 3 to 6 months. During these visits, your doctor will review your treatment and do tests and exams to see if your blood sugar is staying within your target range and if you have any complications. It’s also important to have regular checkups with your eye doctor and dentist. Diabetes can cause vision and dental problems.
Last Updated: August 14, 2007