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Diabetes can put you at risk for different problems like heart attack, stroke or nerve damage. The best way to avoid these problems is to control your diabetes and talk to your doctor often.
Blood Vessels, Heart and Stroke
Diabetes can put you at risk for atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing of your blood vessels. It is caused by fat and other material building up inside the blood vessels. This can cause a heart attack or stroke. To lower this risk, you can follow a meal plan that is low in saturated fats, be active, avoid smoking and take medicine if needed.
Blood Pressure
Diabetes may put you at risk for high blood pressure, which can also cause a stroke. It is important that you talk to your doctor about your blood pressure, and you may need to take medication. Smoking can increase your risk for high blood pressure, so it is important to quit smoking.
Kidneys
Diabetes and high blood pressure can harm the blood vessels in your kidneys, which help to remove waste from your body. Medications can help to protect the kidneys, and good blood pressure and blood sugar control can help keep your kidneys healthy. It is best to get your blood and urine checked every year.
Eyes
It can be hard to know if there is a problem with your eyes. Retinopathy is when the blood vessels in your eyes change which can cause harm. It is important to find and treat this early to stop any damage from happening, so you should have your eyes checked every year by your eye doctor.
Teeth
When you have diabetes, you could have extra sugar in your blood, which can harm your teeth and gums. To avoid damage, you should brush and floss your teeth every day and see a dentist every 6 months. It is important that you tell your dentist that you have diabetes.