Lesson 25: Diabetes Mellitus- Complications and Insulin
Diabetic Complications
There is an increased risk of developing complicating problems that reflect the tissue damaging effect over a time of chronic diabetes. These include
Retinopathy – This is a non inflammatory disease of the retina and is characterized by small haemorrhages from broken arteries and retinal detachment .
Neuropathy – changes in the function of the peripheral nervous system .
Nephropathy – functional changes in the nephrons of the kidneys begins early in diabetes but their clinical effects occur later over a period of time .
Vascular disease – Atherosclerotic vascular disease is a major cause of disease and death among persons with diabetes .
Hyperglycemia induces a host of other metabolic derangements.
Glucose accumulates in non insulin dependent tissues and causes abnormalities in the synthesis of various vital substances. For example high glucose levels alters the formation of glycoproteins in the kidney and contributes to diabetic glomerulosclerosis.
Short term problems of hyperglycemia can be avoided by maintaining satisfactory plasma glucose concentrations. Sometimes derangements can be reversed by good glycemic control.
Hyperglycemia also induces abnormalities in the lipoprotein metabolism.
Diabetic individuals must not only have good glycemic control but also keeps their lipid levels under check.
Goals for diabetic individuals
Total cholesterol LDL Try glycerides HDL (males) HDL (female) LDL to HDL ratio
Participants