| People with diabetes are living longer, healthier
lives than ever before. Research has provided more and better treatments
for the various complications of diabetes. Understanding how
diabetes impacts your body is an important part of self-management.
Complications of diabetes are generally broken into two categories;
short-term and long-term. Short-term complications arise daily and
can be serious if you don't know how to treat them. Everyone responds
a little differently to changes in their blood glucose levels, so
it's important for you to know what's "normal" for you,
so you can look for signs that you're not feeling your best, and
take action if necessary. It's a good idea to share your action
plan with people who care about you, so they can help you if you
become unable to help yourself.
Common short-term complications
include:
- Hypoglycemia - When blood glucose levels
are too low, it's called hypoglycemia. People who don't have diabetes
can still experience low blood glucose levels. Know the symptoms
and how to treat it.
- Hyperglycemia - When blood glucose
levels are high, it's called hyperglycemia. Know the symptoms
and how to treat it.
- Sick days - Illness can impact blood
glucose levels. Test more frequently and make sure you know how
to adjust your diabetes routine when you're feeling under the
weather.
- Ketones - If you have type 1 diabetes,
your body may produce ketones (acids) and release them into the
blood and urine when too little insulin is present. They are a
warning that blood glucose levels may be out of control.
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) - If you
have type 1 diabetes, large amounts of ketones and dangerously
high blood glucose levels can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a
medical emergency.
The longer someone lives with diabetes, however, the greater the
chance of developing long-term complications.
There are many factors that contribute to long-term
complications, but studies like the Diabetes Control and Complications
Trial (DCCT), proved that intensive control - working aggressively
to keep your blood sugar at normal or near-normal levels - reduces
your risk of all the complications of diabetes.
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