Macrovascular Diabetes Complications
Macrovascular diabetes complications are diseases and conditions of the large blood vessels caused by diabetes. These complications can occur in blood vessels in any part of the body.
Factors that can contribute to macrovascular complications are high blood sugar, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, and abnormalities in blood clotting.
3 Diabetes Tests You Must Have
Even before you notice symptoms, high blood sugar can damage parts of your body. That's why certain diabetes tests to check blood sugar control and to catch problems early are so crucial. But many patients aren't getting key diabetes tests at least annually, such as the hemoglobin A1c test, a dilated eye exam, and a foot exam. "If you look at the nationwide data, it's sobering," says Enrico Cagliero, MD, a diabetes researcher and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School...
Read the 3 Diabetes Tests You Must Have article > >
Doctors do not understand what causes some people to develop diabetes complications while others do not. Some people may have tissue and unidentified factors that are resistant to damage. Lifestyle and inherited factors may also affect the risk for complications. For example, if you smoke, you are at higher risk for heart and blood vessel disease than someone who does not smoke.
Macrovascular diabetes complications include heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease.
Heart disease
People with diabetes are at risk for heart attack and other heart problems.
If you have diabetic neuropathy, especially if it affects the internal organs (autonomic neuropathy), you may not have heart-related symptoms or may have symptoms that are not typical of heart problems. As a result, you may not seek medical help early enough to prevent serious problems or even death. Be sure to seek care very early, even if your symptoms are not serious and even if you think your symptoms are not related to your heart.
Stroke
People who have diabetes are more likely to have a stroke than people who do not have diabetes. Plaque buildup and clot formation cause blockage in the blood vessels leading to the brain. People with diabetes often have high blood pressure, which can cause abnormalities in the small blood vessels of the brain and lead to stroke.
Peripheral arterial disease
People with diabetes are at risk for narrowing of the large vessels of their legs. The resulting poor circulation impairs healing and means that even a minor injury or infection can develop into a serious infection. If you have peripheral diabetic neuropathy, you are at increased risk for injury to your feet and legs. A serious foot infection may travel up your leg, infect the bones, and may lead to an amputation.
Complication | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Heart disease |
|
| Stroke |
|
| Peripheral arterial disease |
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Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
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