Diabetes Blog | Diabetes Type, Treatment, & Recipes

Diabetes has both acute and chronic complications. Diabetic ketoacidosis, which is sometimes referred to as diabetic comatose, occurs when the concentration of insulin in the blood is insufficient for the needs the patient. This decrease in the concentration of insulin can be caused by the omission of insulin injections, an increase in the patient’s need of insulin, or by stress. When the insulin becomes inadequate, the liver releases more glucose and ketone bodies, while the body’s ability to metabolize these substances decreases. The ketone bodies are acids, thus, the increase of this substance makes the body acidic (hence, the term ketoacidosis). This diabetes complication is simply treated with fluids and by increasing insulin injections.

Hypoglycemia may also occur because when there is excessive lowering in the glucose in the blood due to an excessive increase in the amount of insulin taken in by the patient. Since the brain is dependent on glucose for energy, hypoglycemia may result to a rapid heartbeat, nervousness, sweating, hunger, and comatose, if not treated. This complication is treated by eating only small amounts of carbohydrates. However, unconscious patients should not be given food because they might breathe it into their lungs. They should be revived either by giving intravenous glucose or by injecting glucagon which is a glucose-raising hormone naturally present in the alpha cells of the pancreas.

Some chronic diabetes complications include blindness. Fortunately, diabetic eye diseases can be readily detected and treated by ophthalmologists before they endanger a patient’s vision. Therefore, it is important for patients with diabetes to regularly and frequently undergo eye examinations.

Diabetes can also damage the kidney because of the high blood pressure that accompanies high blood sugar. It is possible to slow or prevent the damage in the kidney by a vigorous treatment in a patient’s high blood pressure. The lowering of the lipids in the blood which is frequently associated with lowering high blood pressure may deter the effects of these complications.