Diabetes dangers: Is diabetes dangerous?
Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disease and is still considered chronic and "incurable" today. Sufferers are therefore treated with insulin injections or regulating drugs for the rest of their lives after a positive diagnosis of diabetes. Despite this chronic nature, the disease is unlikely to affect or permanently disrupt a patient's lifestyle if it progresses normally. Diabetes patients can choose and shape their leisure time or occupation in the same way as perfectly healthy people. Restrictions may be associated only with the symptoms of the disease, such as obesity or fatigue (dejection). Otherwise, there are no known dangers or primary limitations.
What are the dangers hiding in?
The dangers of diabetes rather refer to a direct consequence of the disease. In diabetes mellitus, the patient suffers from insulin deficiency, which is responsible for the increase in blood glucose level.
If the patient is under medical care and adjusted with medication, this elevated blood glucose level will not lead to a medical emergency. This would only be the case if medication or insulin were neglected for days, resulting in "hyperglycemia". Such hyperglycemia (sugar shock) is considered a medical emergency, as a result of which the body would become overly acidic, the body lacks insulin and cells can no longer be supplied with sufficient energy. This condition is dangerous and can end in an unfavorable course in a diabetic coma.
The danger of elevated blood glucose
Such incidents are rare and require a high degree of negligence and self-infliction on the part of the patient. Much more dangerous is the property of an elevated blood glucose level itself. Even if a slightly elevated value has no effect on a patient's immediate sensation, it ensures that the blood becomes more sugary and thus more viscous. Many elderly people take the blood-thinning drug "ASS100" as a result of other diseases or as a preventive measure to prevent thromboses and vascular occlusions. Such occlusions naturally occur more easily as soon as the blood is more viscous and "sticky". This is quickly the case with a higher blood sugar level.
The diabetes foot syndrome
An effect directly associated with diabetes would be vascular occlusion in the outer extremities. In the so-called "diabetes foot syndrome", such vascular occlusions damage the blood circulation in the foot and thus also the nerves. The reduced or destroyed sensation of pain causes the foot to become inflamed and sensitive inflammation to occur within the bones and tissues, which over time can no longer be treated. In such cases, the only option is to amputate the affected areas. In fact, diabetes patients with scheduled amputations are not uncommon in clinics and hospitals. Due to the painless gradual occlusion of the vessels, patients tend to react too late or not at all to such dangers. A diabetes patient should therefore be very sensitive to changes in his or her body. When blood flow is interrupted, these are quite common signs, familiar to anyone whose arm or leg has ever "fallen asleep."
Extremely dangerous: vascular occlusions
Much more dangerous and acutely life-threatening are vascular occlusions in other locations. A congested blood flow in the heart region quickly leads to a heart attack, which must be treated immediately as a life-threatening medical emergency. It is quite the same with disturbed blood flow in the brain, the consequence of which can be a "PRINT" (small) or even large stroke. In the case of a "small" stroke, there is a temporary disturbance of blood flow, in which the patient suffers neurological deficits for a few minutes and certainly notices them. In a "major" stroke, this occlusion remains until it is resolved in the emergency room of a hospital and the brain is no longer supplied with blood in different areas. In such a case, the neurological deficits are not short-term, but lead to permanent paralysis or organ failure, in the course of which the patient may well die. Strokes are among the most common causes of death in Germany and have long since ceased to be confined to older people.
Consequences for overall life expectancy
Doctors often emphasize that a person would always be as old as his blood circulation. A functioning, fluid blood circulation is therefore important for a healthy life. Diseases that slow down or even disrupt blood flow are to be avoided in any case, or else taken seriously. Diabetes mellitus, with its "blood-thickening" property, is therefore certainly one of the diseases that are capable of causing lasting damage to our health. This is not due to immediate symptoms or effects of the disease itself, but merely to the impairment of our blood circulation.
Therapy to avoid the dangers
In therapy of an already diagnosed diabetes disease, the doctor will prescribe blood-thinning medication to the patient anyway. However, the blood glucose level itself can be influenced very quickly on its own. High-sugar meals quickly drive the value up, while sport or training lowers it. This is not over a period of several days, but immediately. A diabetes patient who "sins" with a large piece of cake can therefore actually "train" it out of his blood again. In any case, however, a long-term blood glucose test is necessary, which is carried out by a doctor.
Like all interruptions of the blood circulation in general, these are sometimes difficult to notice. Unless one suffers from immediate paralysis symptoms of a stroke. A disturbed blood flow in a foot is already more difficult to notice. Especially when nerves are already damaged and the pain sensation as a warning signal fails, which normally warns very effectively of incorrect footwear or the like.
Conclusion
Despite the unspectacular nature of diabetes and its "invisibility" in everyday life, every diabetes patient should be aware of these dangers beneath the surface. Certainly, one will not have to sit down in the waiting room of one's family doctor every day. However, you should keep a close eye on your body and any changes and react quickly in case of doubt. Constantly cold hands or feet would be such an indication, which one easily pays little attention to, since it is completely normal for many people to have cold feet. Such an observation becomes relevant as soon as it appears as a change. Things that are different now than they usually are. This is certainly not only true for diabetes patients, but as a risk group, they are certainly called to increased attention. This also applies to conscientious and responsible handling of the therapy and the dates on which the medication is taken. Again, diabetes patients are not alone in the world. There are numerous clinical pictures in the course of which the daily taking of medication is necessary. So diabetics do not bear a cross that others have not already borne. As with other chronic illnesses, however, support within a family is important and promotes proper management of an illness. Talks with a doctor can also be helpful here.
