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Diabetes Complications: Small Blood Vessel Disease
Diabetes Complications: Small Blood Vessel DiseaseHigh blood glucose levels can damage the blood vessels everywhere in your body, including the small bloodvessels. Over time this damage can cause very serious health problems.Small blood vessels carry oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, including to your eyes, nerves andkidneys to keep them healthy and working well.But when you have Type 2 Diabetes, high levels of glucose, a form of sugar, and other substances in yourbloodstream can thicken your blood and cause damage to your small blood vessels.High blood pressure can make this problem worse. When you have high blood pressure your blood is movingat a greater force through the small, fragile vessels of your body, causing damage. When you have diabetes itis important to check your blood pressure on a regular basis and keep it in control.In the eyes, high blood glucose can cause the tiny blood vessels of the retina, at the back of your eye, to leakor rupture, interfering with vision. This is called diabetic retinopathy.At first you may not notice any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, but once you do begin to notice, it may be toolate. Eventually, if left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness.If your blood glucose levels are not in control you are also at an increased risk of developing cataracts andglaucoma, which can also affect your eyesight.That’s why it is important to see an ophthalmologist every year for a complete eye exam to help diagnoseproblems early, so that they can be treated.To slow the progression of eye disease and prevent vision loss, keep your blood glucose levels in a healthyrange and talk to your ophthalmologist about your options. There are treatments available that can help if thecondition is detected early.High blood glucose levels can also damage the small blood vessels that supply your nerves. Nerves transmitmessages throughout your body to your brain.Damage may cause some nerve cells to lose their ability to transmit signals as they once did. This is calledneuropathy.Neuropathy can cause pain, loss of sensation, and muscle weakness, usually in the hands, legs and feet.Neuropathy can also affect how well the heart, bladder, digestive system and sexual organs work.Let your diabetes care team know if you experience pain in your legs, a feeling of pins and needles; or coldlegs, which could mean nerve damage or poor blood flow to the legs and feet.“Even the sheet laying on my toes would bother me. I mean it would just hurt; it would tingle like pinsand needles on my toes.”Often, symptoms are minor at first and may go unnoticed for a long time.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCDB1006496 EN DiabetesComplicationsSmallBloodVesselDisease.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Diabetes Complications: Small Blood Vessel DiseaseHowever, if it is diagnosed and treated early, neuropathy can be controlled and you may even be able to slowdown its progression.Meet with your diabetes care team on a regular basis to check for nerve damage.In the kidneys, millions of tiny blood vessels work to filter waste from your blood. Damage to the small bloodvessels of your kidneys, called Diabetic Nephropathy, can cause your kidneys to lose the ability to functionproperly.Early kidney disease has very few symptoms but as the disease progresses symptoms include: fatigue or atired feeling, itching, headache, nausea and vomiting, poor appetite, swelling of the legs, and weight gain fromfluid build-up.Kidney disease can be detected by certain blood and urine tests. Make sure your healthcare provider preformsthese tests each year, whether you have symptoms or not.Controlling both high blood pressure and high blood glucose are the two most effective ways to slow kidneydamage.When you have Type 2 diabetes, damage to the small blood vessels in your body can cause serious healthproblems.Keep your blood glucose in control and meet with your diabetes care team on a regular basis to check fordamage to your eyes, nerves and kidneys. Maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid serious complications now andin the future.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCDB1006496 EN DiabetesComplicationsSmallBloodVesselDisease.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
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