Diabetes is a chronic disease and is becoming increasingly common worldwide. The disease affects millions of people and can cause many complications and significant dangers if not well controlled. In fact, diabetes can affect many organs and systems in the body, causing many serious health problems. In this article, we will learn how dangerous diabetes is and why does it need to be controlled strictly?
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how the body uses sugar (glucose). Glucose is the body’s main source of energy and comes from the foods you eat. Insulin – a hormone produced by the pancreas – helps glucose from the blood enter cells to be used for energy. If you have diabetes, your body cannot absorb sugar (glucose) into cells and use it for energy. This leads to a buildup of sugar in the blood causing hyperglycemia.
There are 2 main types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes: The body cannot produce insulin. It is common in children and adolescents, but can also occur in adults.
- Type 2 diabetes: The body does not use insulin effectively or does not produce enough insulin. This is the most common form of diabetes.
So, is diabetes dangerous and how dangerous is it?
How dangerous is diabetes?
Complications of diabetes
Over time, if not treated and controlled well, one of the biggest dangers of diabetes is the potential for serious chronic complications . When high blood sugar levels are not controlled, it can lead to damage to nerves and blood vessels and lead to serious health problems.
How dangerous is diabetes? The disease affects many organs and systems in the body, specifically as follows:
- Impact on the cardiovascular system: One of the most dangerous effects of the disease is its impact on the cardiovascular system . People with diabetes are at increased risk of coronary artery disease, angina, heart failure, hypertension and stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.
- Effects on peripheral nerves: Diabetes can cause nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy . This causes symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling and decreased sensation in the limbs (hands and feet). Nerve damage in the feet can lead to amputation. Damage to nerves related to the digestive system can cause problems with the stomach and intestines.
- Effects on the kidneys: Diabetes can cause kidney failure, another dangerous complication. When the kidneys are damaged, the function of filtering and removing waste from the body is impaired, leading to an increased risk of chronic kidney disease and even end-stage kidney failure requiring hemodialysis to maintain life. .
- Effects on the eyes: Diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves in the eyes, causing vision problems. One of the most common complications of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to loss of vision (blindness). Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in older adults.
How dangerous is diabetes? The disease weakens the immune system
Diabetes can also weaken the body’s immune system, increasing the risk of infections. People with diabetes are often susceptible to skin infections, gum infections, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. If not treated promptly, these infections can spread and cause many other dangerous complications.
Psychological effects
How dangerous is diabetes? Diabetes is also closely related to psychological health problems. Studies show that people with diabetes are at higher risk of psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety. In addition, the stress of treatment and blood sugar control, as well as facing complications can create great pressure for patients.
Reduced quality of life
The dangers of diabetes are also reflected in the negative impact on quality of life. This is a chronic disease, so diabetics often have to follow a strict diet, control blood sugar daily, and regularly take medication for the rest of their lives. This can cause many difficulties in daily life and stress in daily life. Besides, diabetes can lead to reduced quality of life due to complications and limitations in physical activity.
Understand how dangerous diabetes is to proactively control the disease
To reduce the danger of diabetes, controlling the disease is extremely important. The goal is to maintain stable blood sugar levels at all times. Patients should control the disease by:
- Maintain a healthy diet: A healthy and balanced diet is an important factor in controlling diabetes. Increase consumption of foods high in fiber, low in starch, low in sugar and low in fat in your daily diet. At the same time, pay attention to the amount of calories consumed to maintain weight and balance blood sugar levels.
- Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity improves insulin sensitivity in the body, helps control blood sugar and reduces the risk of diabetes complications. Regular exercise also helps maintain a healthy weight, improves heart health and enhances overall health.
- Regularly monitor blood sugar: Regularly monitoring blood sugar and assessing the level of diabetes control is very important. This helps detect possible complications early and adjust treatment appropriately. The goal is to prevent or reduce the risk of complications from diabetes.
- Compliance with treatment: It is very important to strictly follow your doctor’s diabetes treatment instructions. This includes the use of oral medications, insulin injections (if needed), weight control, and adherence to a diet and exercise schedule. At the same time, have regular health check-ups to detect and treat health problems related to diabetes, if any.
- Psychological preparation and knowledge: Patients need to have correct knowledge about the disease, understand its effects and know how to handle possible complications. Information and education about diabetes is also important to increase patient awareness and self-management. At the same time, patients should also join support groups and connect withdiabetes community to get more support and encouragement during the treatment process.
In short, if you wonder how dangerous diabetes is, this is a dangerous disease that can cause many complications and affect many organs and systems in the body. Taking diabetes seriously and keeping blood sugar under good control is essential to reduce the risk of complications and maintain overall health. By following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and following the correct treatment regimen, people with diabetes can live a healthy life and keep the dangers of the disease to a minimum. .
