Diabetes Risk Factors, Types and Complications

Types of Diabetes

• Type 1: insulin required for survival due to lack of insulin produced by the body
• Type 2: insulin required for metabolic control due to the body’s ineffective use of its own insulin (Insulin Resistance)

Diabetes Risk Factors

Everyone is potentially at risk. Anyone, anywhere, at any age can develop diabetes. Understanding the risk factors can prevent type 2 diabetes and promote better management of type 1 diabetes

Risk factors for type 1 diabetes:

• Childhood and adolescence
• Genetic factors
• Environmental factors

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes:

• Older age
• Being overweight
• Family history of diabetes
• Lack of physical exercise
• Impaired glucose tolerance
• Prior history of gestational diabetes
• Race/ ethnicity
• Stress

Complications of Diabetes:

Complications are chronic conditions caused by diabetes
Short-term complications: hypoglycaemia, ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis and infections

Hypoglycemia - abnormally low concentration of glucose in the blood

Leads to:

• nervousness, shakiness, weakness or sweatiness
• headaches, blurred vision and extreme hunger
• unconsciousness

Acute Ketoacidosis - diabetic coma brought on by high blood glucose and lack of insulin

Leads to:

• nausea
• vomiting
• dry skin and mouth
• flushed face and low blood pressure

If the person is not given fluids and insulin right away, ketoacidosis can lead to death

Infections  - infections of a bacterial or fungal nature

Examples: styes, boils, athlete’s foot, ringworm and vaginal infections

Long-term complications:

• retinopathy
• nephropathy
• peripheral vascular disease
• neuropathy
• foot ulceration/amputation 
• cardiovascular disease

Chronic: cardiovascular disease - disease of the circulatory system

• Leads to: strokes and heart attacks
• Cardiovascular disease leads to 75% of all deaths among Europeans with diabetes
• Risk factors: smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity
• Prevention is paramount

Chronic: retinopathy -  disease of the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye

• This is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in adults in many societies

Chronic: nephropathy - disease of the kidneys

• Affects one third of people with diabetes
• Leads to kidney failure
• May require dialysis or transplantation
• If untreated, kidney failure can lead to death

Chronic: peripheral vascular disease - disease of the large blood vessels of the legs and feet

• This disease affects people who have had diabetes for a long time

Chronic: neuropathy - disease of the nerves

Leads to:

• pain and lack of sensation in the legs and feet, causing injury and infection and, in severe cases, foot ulceration
• nerve damage in the heart, lungs, bladder, stomach and intestine
• impotence in men with diabetes

Chronic: foot ulceration - damage to the foot caused by nerve damage and poor blood supply

• Foot ulcers can affect up to 15% of all people with diabetes
• In severe cases foot ulcers can require amputation of the foot or lower leg