Most people understand that diabetes is a serious, and even life-threatening disease. Some may even understand that, left untreated, it can cause blindness, or that it is closely linked to hypertension and even heart disease. But many don’t know, or understand, exactly why this is so.
The Diabetes Mechanism
There are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, occurs when the pancreas stops making insulin – a hormone that helps your body use sugar for energy. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas still makes insulin, but the body is unable to use it.
The affect of both types of diabetes is that sugar builds up in the blood stream and causes damage to the nerves and organs. Additionally, because these same organs are not getting enough energy, they don’t function or heal properly.
Diabetes and the Kidneys
In an attempt to maintain balance, your body will try to get rid of the excess blood sugar in the urine. In fact, the clinical name for the disease, diabetes mellitus, means “sweet urine.†To do this, the kidneys have to pull more water from the blood to dilute the sugar in the urine. This causes the extreme thirst that is one of the symptoms of diabetes. It also makes the kidneys work harder to filter the blood.
The high concentration of sugar also damages the tiny structures inside the kidneys and prevents them from working properly. All of this contributes to kidney disease in diabetics. The kidneys also help maintain the fluid balance in your body, and your fluid balance is a major factor in maintaining a healthy blood pressure.
Diabetes and the Cardiovascular System
Although your body will try to clear as much sugar as possible through urination, left untreated diabetes still leaves a significant amount of sugar in the blood. This excess sugar can cause micro tears and fissures in the blood vessels. The body then tries to repair the damage which causes materials to build up in the walls of the vessels which can constrict blood flow. This constricted blood flow contributes to hypertension and heart disease.
It can also reduce blood flow to the extremities, like the toes, which slows down the healing process. This is one of the reasons why people with poorly-treated diabetes are at risk for gangrene and amputation.
Diabetes and the Nervous System
Excess blood sugar also damages the nerves, including the optic nerve and the motor and sensory nerves in your extremities. If not properly controlled, over time, diabetes can cause blindness. It can also cause people to lose sensation in their fingertips, making it difficult to perform normal daily tasks, like dressing. Damage to sensory nerves, in the extremities, is the other reason why diabetics are at risk for amputations – they are unable to feel minor injuries to the toes or lower limbs, the injuries do not heal properly due to reduced blood flow, then they become gangrenous.
Proper Treatment
These are only a few of the possible complications associated with diabetes. But while these complications are serious, they are also preventable with proper treatment.
Diabetics should monitor their blood sugar levels with regular, daily, glucose readings and take their medication as directed. Diabetics who are unable to afford their medication can buy Actos and other diabetic drugs from online Canadian pharmacies at prices lower than in the US.
Patients who don’t have access to the internet should talk to their physicians about drug assistance programs to help them pay for their medications.
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