Minimize Diabetes Complications

The acute diabetes complications in type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Maintaining blood sugar levels that are persistently elevated can result in the a lot of complications associated with diabetes. The complications may possibly be acute or chronic. The acute complications develop over many days or weeks. In type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can develop if insulin is omitted or if is insufficient. The sufferer becomes really symptomatic and may possibly call for immediate treatment or in much more severe instances admission to hospital. In type 2 diabetes the development of hyper-osmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) may possibly take numerous weeks with the patient becoming increasing unwell with blood sugar levels higher than 50 mmols/l. Both acute complications are potentially fatal and the patient may possibly call for hospitalisation. Diabetic feet damage might be chronic but active lesions typically call for urgent medical assistance in a hospital setting.

Statistics of the long-term diabetes complications

The both diabetes type 1 complications as well as the type 2 have several prevention of this is one of the main goals of managing diabetes. There is strong evidence to show that the harshness of microvascular complications is associated with the duration and degree of hyperglycaemia. A number of medical research studies have shown that the higher the standard blood glucose, the higher the risk of damage to the little blood vessels and nerves.

The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT, 1993) which studied glycaemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes demonstrated that maintaining blood glucose levels within 4 - 9 mmols/L reduced the incidence of micro-vascular complications by 35 - 75 %. The landmark study in type 2 diabetes, the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS, 1998) also demonstrated up to 25% reduction in microvascular endpoints. Both studies proved that with intensive treatment the risk of new complications were decreased and also the risk of progression of existing complications was reduced.

The microvascular complications consist of retinopathy (eye illness), nephropathy (kidney disease) and neuropathy (nerve damage which leads to diabetic foot illness). The macrovascular complications are cardiovascular illness, cerebro-vascular illness and peripheral vascular disease. The statistics show that up to 50% of individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes already show evidence of complications. For both type 1 and type 2 diabetes the statistics illustrate that the incidence of complications are related to duration of diabetes and degree of hyperglycaemia. It's for these factors, patients are 'treated to target' ie remedies are initiated and adjusted so that the targets of blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid are maintained so as to reduce the risk of new complications and retard progression of existing diabetes complications. Intensive treatments versus conventional treatments in both studies emphasised the difference in endpoints. In clinical practice, these findings have guided treatment choices for the management of diabetes complications.