iabetes can affect any part of your body. The good news is that you can
prevent most of these problems by keeping your blood glucose (blood sugar) under control,
eating healthy, being physical active, working with your
health care provider to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol
under control, and getting necessary screening tests. See PREVENT DIABETES
PROBLEMS.
|
Eye Problems |
| High blood sugars can cause blurred
vision, and poorly-controlled diabetes can lead to blindness.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Eye Institute
From MedlinePlus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
|
Foot
Problems |
| Diabetes can damage both the nerves
and the blood vessels to the feet leading to numbness, burning “pins
and needles” feeling, poor circulation and possibly amputation.
Return to effects of
diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Diabetes Education Program
From the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
From MedlinePlus
|
Dental
Complications |
| High blood sugars can cause gum
disease (periodontal disease) and gum disease can cause high blood sugars.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
From the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
|
Kidney
Complications |
| High blood sugars, especially if
combined with high blood pressure, can cause kidney damage and lead to
dialysis.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
From MedlinePlus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
From the National Kidney Foundation
From the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP)
- Kidney Disease: Are You at Risk?
When you have diabetes, you are at increased risk for developing chronic
kidney disease.
About a third of people with diabetes may
develop kidney failure.
In many cases, early detection and treatment of kidney
disease can help prevent more serious kidney disease and other
complications.
|
Nerve
Complications |
| High blood sugars can damage nerves
in any part of the body.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
From MedlinePlus
|
Cardiovascular
Complications |
| Diabetes, especially in people
with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, causes heart
disease. Heart disease is the #1 killer of people with diabetes.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Health, Lung, and Blood Institute
From MedlinePlus
From the US Food and Drug Administration
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
High blood cholesterol
From National Health, Lung and Blood Institute
From MedlinePlus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
High blood pressure and hypertension
From the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
From MedlinePlus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
|
Reproductive
Health |
| Diabetes can cause impotence in
men (inability to get an erection) and yeast infections (vaginitis) in
women.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Clearinghouse
From MedlinePlus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
|
Pregnancy |
| Diabetes can also complicate pregnancy.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
From the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
From MedlinePlus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
|
Stomach |
| Poorly-controlled diabetes can
cause nerve damage to the stomach leading to nausea, poor digestion, and
bloating.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse
|
Respiratory
complications |
| People with diabetes are more
likely to die with pneumonia or influenza than people who do not have
diabetes.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
From the National Institute on Aging
|
Stroke |
| People with diabetes are 2 to
4 times more likely to suffer a stroke than people without diabetes.
Return to effects of diabetes on the body |
From the U.S. Department of Human Services
From MEDLINEplus
From NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely
as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any
organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred.
The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization
Web pages found at this link.
From the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
last reviewed July 15, 2005.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/diabproblems.htm
