Complications

Good blood sugar control can reduce your risk of serious health problems, like:

• Heart disease and stroke. Adults with diabetes are more likely to have heart disease or a stroke. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.
  
• High blood pressure. Many adults with diabetes have high blood pressure or take prescription medicine(s) for high blood pressure.
  
• Eye problems. People with diabetes are at risk for cataracts, glaucoma, and problems with the retina (retinopathy), which can reduce vision or cause blindness. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults ages 20 to 74.
  
• Kidney damage. Diabetes is the leading cause of severe kidney disease.
  
• Nerve damage. Many people with diabetes have some nerve damage. This shows up as numbness or tingling in the feet or hands. You may not feel pain well, so sores can get worse and get infected. Severe nerve damage in people with diabetes is a major cause of leg and foot amputations.
  
• Infections. People with diabetes may be at greater risk for infection and death from infections. High blood sugar may make it harder for your body to fight infections. People with diabetes may be at a greater risk for getting many other illnesses. Once they get these illnesses, they have more trouble getting better.
  
• Gum disease. Because infections are harder to fight, you’re more likely to develop gum disease.
  
• Problems in pregnancy. Diabetes that isn’t managed well, before pregnancy and during pregnancy, can cause birth defects and miscarriages. During the later parts of pregnancy, poorly controlled diabetes can lead to very large babies, which is risky for both mother and child.
  

There’s good news, though. When you manage your diabetes well, you can reduce the risk of these health problems.