Prevention of diabetes complications
By: D.K. Mangusan Jr., PTRP
Long standing diabetes can affect many parts of the body and can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and lower-limb amputations.
Working together, people with diabetes and their health care providers can reduce the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications by controlling the levels of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids and by receiving other preventive care practices in a timely manner.
Glucose control
Research studies in the United States and abroad have found that improved glycemic control benefits people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In general, for every 1% reduction in results of A1C blood tests (e.g., from 8.0% to 7.0%), the risk of developing microvascular diabetic complications (eye, kidney, and nerve disease) is reduced by 40%.
Control your blood pressure
Blood pressure control can reduce cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) by approximately 33% to 50% and can reduce microvascular disease (eye, kidney, and nerve disease) by approximately 33%.
In general, for every 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) reduction in systolic blood pressure, the risk for any complication related to diabetes is reduced by 12%.
Control of blood cholesterol
Improved control of cholesterol or blood lipids (for example, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20% to 50%.
Preventive care practices for eyes, kidneys, and feet
Detecting and treating diabetic eye disease with laser therapy can reduce the development of severe vision loss by an estimated 50% to 60%.
Comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45% to 85%.
Detecting and treating early diabetic kidney disease by lowering blood pressure can reduce the decline in kidney function by 30% to 70%. Treatment with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are more effective in reducing the decline in kidney function than other blood pressure lowering drugs.
Related Topics:
Prevention of Diabetes Complications
How does Diabetes hurt or affect my Kidneys?
Learn more about diabetes at UD-IA: Understanding Diabetes-Increasing Awareness
Resources: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: National Diabetes Fact Sheet, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
