Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes |
 Hello, I am Janey Willis, ISN Guide to Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and Type 2 Diabetes is caused by risk factors such as lifestyle, ethnicity, age, and pregnancy. The majority of diabetics have Type 2. See Disclaimer. |
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Overview of Diabetes Symptoms |
| Diabetes may affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, bone, nervous system, thyroid gland, eyes, and skin. About 25% of diabetics also have symptoms of depression. (Also see: Autoimmune Diseases and Overview of Diabetes) |
| Signs and Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes. The onset of symptoms often appear after a flu-like illness and gradually intensify over the course of a few weeks. Symptoms include frequent urination, quick weight loss despite extreme hunger, blurred vision and extreme fatigue. MayoClinic. |
Erectile Dysfunction |
| Erectile Dysfunction in Diabetes Mellitus. Premature ejaculation and reduced libido are conditions commonly associated with diabetic ED and should be identified and treated. (IngentaConnect) L.S. Malavige. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2009;6:1232-1247. |
Eye Complications |
| Glaucoma, cataracts, and retinopathy are the more frequent eye complications with diabetes. |
| Diabetes Reduces Basal Retinal Insulin Receptor Signaling. These results demonstrate that diabetes progressively impairs the constitutive retinal insulin receptor signaling pathway through Akt and suggests that loss of this survival pathway may contribute to the initial stages of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes 55:1148-1156, 2006. |
Gastrointestinal |
| The influence of gluten free diet on quantitative ultrasound of proximal phalanxes in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and celiac disease. The gluten free diet, as well as the optimization of glycemic control, plays an important role in preventing the osteopenic status caused by the clustering of these two chronic diseases. (PubMed) Valerio, G. Bone. August 2008. (Also see: Celiac Disease) |
Heart Disease |
| Effect of Lowering LDL Cholesterol Substantially Below Currently Recommended Levels in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes. Patients with clinically evident coronary heart disease and diabetes, intensive therapy with atorvastatin 80 mg significantly reduced the rate of major cardiovascular events by 25% compared with atorvastatin 10 mg. Diabetes Care 29:1220-1226, 2006. |
| Effect Of Diabetes On Heart May Differ By Ethnicity, Study Finds. Diabetes strongly increases the risk of heart failure in all ethnic groups, but early effects of diabetes on the heart may differ depending on whether the subjects are white, African-American, Hispanic or Chinese. Medical News Today 03/12/06. |
| Prehypertension, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Population-Based Sample. A total of 2629 Strong Heart Study participants free from hypertension and cardiovascular disease at baseline examination were followed for 12 years to observe incident cardiovascular disease. Approximately 42% of the 2629 participants had diabetes. American Heart Association 01/30/06. |
Nerve Damage |
| Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Nervous System Healthy. Research has shown that people who kept their blood glucose close to normal were able to lower their risk of nerve damage. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. |
Pulmonary Complications |
| Lung Dysfunction in Diabetes. Clear decrements in lung function have been reported in patients with diabetes over the past 2 decades. However, at the present time, there are no reports of functional limitations of activities of daily living ascribable to pulmonary disease in patients with diabetes. Diabetes Care 26:1915-1918, 2003. |
Renal Involvement |
| Protect Your Kidneys, Control Diabetes, Op-ed. Knowing the signs and symptoms of kidney disease is vital. They include high blood pressure, blood or protein in urine, puffiness of the eyes, hands and feet, fatigue, loss of appetite, and itchiness. Dr. Julian Whitaker. Canadaviews.ca. 03/10/10. (Also see: Diabetes) |
Skeletal Complications |
| Hand Syndromes Associated with Diabetes: Impairments and Obesity Predict Disability. In adults with hand syndromes associated with diabetes, disability was related to impaired muscle function and carpal tunnel syndrome, further influenced by obesity. C. Redmond. JRheum. November 2 2009. |
| The influence of gluten free diet on quantitative ultrasound of proximal phalanxes in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and celiac disease. The gluten free diet, as well as the optimization of glycemic control, plays an important role in preventing the osteopenic status caused by the clustering of these two chronic diseases. (PubMed) Valerio, G. Bone. August 2008. (Also see: Celiac Disease) |
| Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women With Type 1 Diabetes Have Lower Bone Mineral Density and Calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasound Than Nondiabetic Women. Lower BMD in premenopausal women with type 1 diabetes may substantially increase their risk of developing osteoporosis after menopause. Type 1 diabetic women should be targeted for osteoporosis screening and possible fracture prevention as they transition through menopause. PubMed 29 Feb 2006. |
| Elevated Hip Fracture Risk in Type 1 Diabetic Patients. Both male and female type 1 diabetic patients are at increased risk for hip fracture. Although optimal preventive measures still need to be defined, the co-occurrence with other diabetes complications suggests that tighter metabolic control might reduce the risk. Diabetes Care 28:2850-2855, 2005. |
Skin Complications |
| Diabetes: Skin Problems. For people with diabetes, having too much glucose (sugar) in their blood for a long time can cause serious complications, including skin problems. WebMD. |
| Prediction of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Occurrence Using Commonly Available Clinical Information. Readily available clinical information has predictive power for the development of diabetic foot ulcer and may help in accurately targeting persons at high risk. Diabetes Care 29:1202-1207, 2006. |
| Risk Factors for Foot Infections in Individuals With Diabetes. Foot infections occur relatively frequently in individuals with diabetes, almost always follow trauma, and dramatically increase the risk of hospitalization and amputation. Diabetes Care 29:1288-1293, 2006. |
Thyroid Complications |
| Association Between Autoimmune Thyroid Dysfunction And Type 1 Diabetes Confirmed. A longitudinal study has confirmed the association between autoimmune thyroid dysfunction and type 1 diabetes, suggesting a need for regular screening. Doctors' Guide Channel. 04/08/03. (Also see: Thyroid Disease) |
