Avoiding the Complications of Diabetes

2.2 million older Americans—almost one-fourth of us over age 60—are living with diabetes.

Diabetes develops when the pancreas can not manufacture enough insulin, or because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly, or both. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.

The complications from the disease can be severe. They include serious problems such as heart disease, eye and kidney damage, high blood pressure, and nerve damage that could result in amputation.

While this is a very sobering list of complications, patients themselves have the power to reduce the potential for complications, and to successfully manage the disease. Self-care practices such as healthy eating, being active and monitoring blood glucose levels make a huge difference.

So, let's review some diabetes complications, along with some positive actions that can help patients and loved ones minimize damage and improve outcome:

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy can appear as numbness, tingling, pain, perspiration problems and bladder problems. It is caused by high blood sugar. You can help control your blood sugar through eating the diet your healthcare provider suggests, as well as with exercise, taking medications correctly and frequent blood glucose level testing.

Increased Risk of Infection

For people with diabetes, high levels of blood sugar foster the growth of bacterial and fungal infections, especially common in the skin and urinary tract. You can decrease the risk of infection by keeping skin clean and dry, bathing regularly, drinking plenty of water, and reporting to the doctor if a cut doesn't heal quickly.

Impaired Vision

While many people develop glaucoma and cataracts, people with diabetes develop them more often and at an earlier age. Over time, high blood sugar can injure the blood vessels of the eye, including the retina, lens and optic nerve. Regular eye examinations should be part of your diabetes management program, because early intervention for eye problems will help prevent more serious problems later. Remember—damage to the eyesight may not be apparent at first, so have an annual exam even if your vision isn’t bothering you.

Foot Problems

While anyone can have foot problems, people with diabetes are especially prone to corns, blisters, calluses, dry, cracked skin. Serious infection is much more common because the nerve damage described above can reduce feeling in the feet. It is important to pay attention to your feet, inspecting them regularly so problems won't worsen. Keep feet clean and dry, and talk to your healthcare provider about the best type of shoes and socks to select.

Heart or Kidney Disease

Diabetes also makes it more likely that a person will suffer from cardiac or renal disease. A healthy lifestyle and commitment to managing those conditions is very important. This includes getting the right amount and type of exercise, complying with medication instructions, quitting smoking if you do, and regular monitoring of blood sugar.

For More Information

Visit the National Council on Aging (NCOA) website to learn about the Connect the Dots program, which helps seniors learn about the link between diabetes and high blood pressure. Included is a handy take-along checklist to detemine a patient's risk for these two conditions.

In time for American Diabetes Month, the CDC offers updated information on diabetes prevention, detection and management.
The American Diabetes Association sponsors American Diabetes Month. Their website is a great source of consumer information for people with diabetes and their families. Learn more about American Diabetes Month 2009 and the Association's new Stop Diabetes campaign.

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) offers extensive information on preventing and treating diabetes.


By Joyce Remy, Editor, and Dennis Kenny, Co-Author, Aging in Stride–Plan Ahead, Stay Connected, Keep Moving. Copyright, 2009.