{"id":54979,"date":"2022-11-02T09:30:27","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T13:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=54979"},"modified":"2026-07-14T14:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T18:46:42","slug":"diabetes-complications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetes-complications\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to diabetes complications\u2014and how to avoid them"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you live with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/type-1-vs-type-2-diabetes\/\">Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes mellitus<\/a>, you are probably aware of the <a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/9815-hyperglycemia-high-blood-sugar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">immediate side effects<\/a> that occur if your blood sugar gets too high, such as racing heartbeat, nausea, blurred vision, and headaches. But what you may not realize is that if either of these types of diabetes is not controlled, it can lead to chronic health conditions over time. Common diabetes complications include cardiac issues, eye problems, kidney damage, neurological issues, and foot problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s hope, though. Most common complications of diabetes can be avoided by sticking to the care instructions provided by your healthcare provider, and by adopting lifestyle choices that help keep your blood sugars in check. Read on for what you should know about diabetes complications, including what causes them and how to prevent and avoid them.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-are-the-complications-of-diabetes\">What are the complications of diabetes?<\/h2>\n<p>Diabetes is a chronic health condition affecting more than 40 million Americans, per the CDC. It\u2019s marked by the body\u2019s inability to regulate blood sugar levels, leading to excess glucose in the body. When glucose gets too high, it can cause a variety of health problems. Some of these complications are acute (happening right away), but others are chronic (developing over time).<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/diabetes-statistics\/\"><b>Diabetes statistics<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"acute-vs-chronic-diabetes-complications\">Acute vs. chronic diabetes complications<\/h3>\n<p>Acute diabetes complications <a href=\"https:\/\/dtc.ucsf.edu\/living-with-diabetes\/complications\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">include:<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose<\/li>\n<li>Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/ketosis-vs-ketoacidosis\/\">Diabetic ketoacidosis<\/a>, a life-threatening complication that happens when you don\u2019t have enough insulin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Chronic diabetes complications are health conditions that develop over a period of time, especially if your diabetes is not well-controlled. When diabetes is not controlled, it can affect all the organs in your body, says <a href=\"https:\/\/mdmercy.com\/find-a-doctor\/hannah-goldberg-md\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hannah Goldberg, MD<\/a>, a primary care physician at Mercy Personal Physicians. \u201cCommon organs affected by diabetes are the eyes, kidneys, blood vessels, heart, and brain,\u201d Dr. Goldberg explains. \u201cUncontrolled diabetes can lead to strokes and heart attacks, as well as blindness and kidney failure requiring dialysis.\u201d Let\u2019s take a deeper look at how diabetes affects different organs in your body.<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/insulin-resistance\/\"><b>What is insulin resistance?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"eye-problems\">Eye problems<\/h3>\n<p>Diabetes can lead to a number of issues with your eyes, says <a href=\"https:\/\/crmcounseling.net\/staff\/sherry-roberts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sherry Roberts<\/a>, MPH, RDN, a certified diabetes care and education specialist. \u201cUncontrolled diabetes can lead to complications such as diabetic retinopathy, which impacts our eyes, and blindness may occur,\u201d Roberts says. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetic-retinopathy\/\">Diabetic retinopathy<\/a>, which is caused by damage to the small blood vessels in the retina, is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/diabetes\/managing\/diabetes-vision-loss.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">most common cause<\/a> of vision loss and vision impairment among working-age adults in the U.S. Diabetes can also lead to eye disease such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/diabetes\/library\/features\/prevent-complications.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cataracts<\/a> (clouding of the eyes) and glaucoma (increased fluid pressure to the eye).<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"foot-issues\">Foot issues<\/h3>\n<p>Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to various foot complications. \u201cIt can cause foot and leg wounds that become infected and are difficult to heal,\u201d says Dr. Goldberg. Sometimes amputation may be required in extreme cases. Diabetes can also cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetic-foot-care\/\">nerve damage to the foot<\/a>, resulting in symptoms such as numbness and tingling.<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetic-wound-care\/\"><b>Why diabetes slows your healing<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"heart-problems\">Heart problems<\/h3>\n<p>Diabetes can have a major impact on your heart. In fact, if you have diabetes, you are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/diabetes\/library\/features\/diabetes-and-heart.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">twice as likely to have heart disease<\/a>. This increased risk of heart disease is because diabetes can affect the blood vessels and nerves that work with your heart. For example, diabetes can cause increases in blood pressure as well as a build-up of LDL, or \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol. It can also cause an unhealthy number of triglycerides (also called \u201clipids,\u201d a type of fat in your bloodstream).<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"kidney-issues\">Kidney issues<\/h3>\n<p>Diabetes can sometimes have severe effects on your kidneys, says Dr. Goldberg. \u201cOver time, the elevated blood glucose can deposit in blood vessels in the kidneys, causing the kidneys to lose their ability to filter your blood and make urine,\u201d she says. \u201cThis can necessitate the need for dialysis or kidney transplant.\u201d About a third of people with diabetes develop kidney disease. People with uncontrolled diabetes are also at a higher risk for developing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/diabetic-nephropathy\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20354556#:~:text=Diabetic%20nephropathy%20is%20a%20common,and%20cause%20high%20blood%20pressure.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diabetic nephropathy<\/a>, which can lead to kidney damage.<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/chronic-kidney-disease\/\"><b>What to know about chronic kidney disease<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"nerve-damage\">Nerve damage<\/h3>\n<p>Diabetic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/neuropathy-treatment-and-medications\">neuropathy<\/a> (nerve damage) is another common diabetes complication. It can cause numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, but it can potentially impact other nerves in the body as well. \u201cFor example, the nerves that control digestion can be damaged and lead to a condition called gastroparesis,\u201d she explains. \u201cAlso, the nerves that control blood pressure and your body\u2019s ability to cool can be damaged in neuropathy.\u201d Finally, sexual arousal can be impacted and may lead to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction-and-diabetes\/\">erectile dysfunction<\/a> due to blood flow problems, Roberts says.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-is-the-most-common-complication-of-diabetes\">What is the most common complication of diabetes?<\/h3>\n<p>According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31722562\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> published in the <i>European Journal of Preventive Cardiology<\/i>, cardiovascular disease is the most common diabetes complication, affecting people with Type 2 diabetes most commonly. People with diabetes are about two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than people without diabetes, according to this study. This is especially true for people who aren\u2019t actively controlling their blood sugar.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that these days more people are living full lives with diabetes, assures <a href=\"https:\/\/ca.linkedin.com\/in\/justine-chan-mhsc-rd-cde-1b823027\">Justine Chan<\/a>, RD, a certified diabetes educator. Still, diabetes is associated with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31722562\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">75% increased death rate<\/a>, mostly due to heart disease complications. \u201cDiabetes complications arise not only from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/high-blood-sugar-symptoms\/\">high blood sugars<\/a>, but also from highly processed diets, elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, high levels of stress, and mental health issues,\u201d notes Chan.<\/p>\n\t\t<div class=\"singlecare-dynamic-newsletter-wrapper sin-newsletter-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"heading\">Get our diabetes newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t\t<form class=\"form-wrapper\" data-newsletter-form=\"1\" data-subsource=\"Diabetes Newsletter\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<label for=\"dynamic-email\">Email<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"email\" id=\"dynamic-email\" class=\"email\" required>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"submit-form-btn\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Click to sign up\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"success-message\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<h2 id=\"what-causes-diabetes-complications\">What causes diabetes complications?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe main cause for diabetes complications is uncontrolled diabetes,\u201d says Roberts. It\u2019s recommended that people keep their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/normal-a1c-levels\/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20good%20A1C,level%20between%206.0%20and%206.9.\">A1C (a test measuring blood glucose levels)<\/a> at less than 6.5% to prevent diabetes complications, says Roberts. Lifestyle changes, such as a diabetes-friendly diet and daily exercise routine, can make a huge difference.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReducing the processed and simple sugar in the diet, like sugar sweetened beverages, and reducing the intake of sweets and treats will greatly improve blood sugar control,\u201d Roberts describes. \u201cBeing active with a 30-minute walk at a moderate pace five days a week will also help keep blood sugars in range.\u201d She also recommends maintaining a healthy weight, and says that even a 5% to 10% reduction in body weight can positively control blood sugar.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to uncontrolled blood sugar, unhealthy eating, and sedentary lifestyle, other risk factors can put you at greater likelihood of developing diabetes complications, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/diabetes\/data\/statistics-report\/risks-complications.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">including:<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Obesity or being overweight<\/li>\n<li>Being a smoker<\/li>\n<li>Having high blood pressure<\/li>\n<li>Having high cholesterol<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-prevent-complications-of-diabetes\">How to prevent complications of diabetes<\/h2>\n<p>Here are the most effective ways to prevent diabetes complications.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"1-prevent-disease-onset-in-the-first-place\">1. Prevent disease onset in the first place<\/h3>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t yet been diagnosed with diabetes, but have a strong family history of the disease, there are some things you can do to prevent the condition. This includes going to regular check-ups and getting your A1C monitored at each visit. \u201cIf it is trending upward, you should make sure you\u2019re doing a great job focusing on eating lower carbohydrate and lower fat meals, and focusing more on healthy proteins, fruits, and vegetables,\u201d Dr. Goldberg recommends.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"2-keep-up-with-your-medical-appointments\">2. Keep up with your medical appointments<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it\u2019s imperative to see your healthcare provider regularly. \u201cThe most important step to prevent diabetes complications is to have regular follow-up with your diabetes team or primary care provider,\u201d says Chan. \u201cThis way you have the support and accountability you need for your lifestyle goals, the resources to manage stress around the disease, and a checkpoint to ensure you are on the right medications.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"3-take-your-medication-as-prescribed\">3. Take your medication as prescribed<\/h3>\n<p>Diabetes is often controlled with medication, such as insulin. But you have to take it when indicated, as prescribed by your healthcare provider. \u201cBeing proactive in your health care and monitoring blood sugars routinely will allow for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/diabetes-treatment-and-medications\">treatment plans<\/a> to be adjusted if needed before blood sugars get out of control,\u201d Roberts says. Always reach out to your provider if you have any questions about your medications, or if your symptoms are not improving or getting worse.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"4-check-your-blood-sugar-regularly\">4. Check your blood sugar regularly<\/h3>\n<p>Most diabetes management plans involve keeping close tabs on blood sugar. Regular glucose monitoring can help you avoid any harmful effects of the disease. \u201cThe best way to prevent diabetes complications is to manage blood sugars and keep them as close to the goal as possible,\u201d says Roberts. But it goes beyond simple tests. You\u2019ve also got to be an advocate for yourself and be in consistent communication with your provider about your numbers. It\u2019s especially important to contact your provider if your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/normal-blood-glucose-levels\/\">blood sugar numbers are out of range<\/a>, so that any adjustments to medication or other treatments can be made.<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/signs-metformin-is-not-working\/\"><b>Signs metformin is not working<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"5-keep-up-a-healthy-diet-and-exercise-routine\">5. Keep up a healthy diet and exercise routine<\/h3>\n<p>It can\u2019t be emphasized enough how powerful a smart eating and exercise routine can be for managing diabetes and keeping complications at bay. Chan\u2019s tips include adopting diets that are proven to help manage diabetes, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/heart-healthy-diet\/#:~:text=DASH%20stands%20for%20Dietary%20Approaches,the%20saturated%20and%20trans%20fats.\">DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)<\/a>, low glycemic index diet, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/weight-loss-diet\/\">Mediterranean diet<\/a>. \u201cThese diets have been shown to have beneficial effects on blood glucose, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Managing diabetes involves eating a nutrient-dense diet, emphasizing fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. The <a href=\"https:\/\/diabetes.org\/healthy-living\/recipes-nutrition\/eating-well\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Diabetes Association<\/a> recommends the \u201cDiabetes Plate Method,\u201d which includes filling half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, one quarter of the plate with protein, and one quarter with carbohydrates. In addition, there are certain foods that are best avoided if you are trying to stay healthy and avoid diabetes complications. Food to steer clear of\u2014or only have in moderation\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetes-diet\/\">include:<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Candy<\/li>\n<li>Cookies and cake<\/li>\n<li>Sweetened cereals<\/li>\n<li>Canned fruit with sugar added<\/li>\n<li>White bread<\/li>\n<li>Pasta<\/li>\n<li>Starchy vegetables (white potatoes, corn, peas)<\/li>\n<li>Soda<\/li>\n<li>Juice<\/li>\n<li>Fast food<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/foods-to-avoid-with-trulicity\/\"><b>Foods to avoid with Trulicity<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Chan also recommends aiming for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, as well as resistance exercises two to three times per week. The weight loss that comes along with improved diet and exercise can help reduce risk of complications, and can even reverse prediabetes.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"6-prevent-and-treat-gum-disease\">6. Prevent and treat gum disease<\/h3>\n<p>Diabetes and diabetes medications can increase the amount of glucose in saliva, which can feed harmful bacteria. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niddk.nih.gov\/health-information\/diabetes\/overview\/preventing-problems\/gum-disease-dental-problems\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nearly a quarter<\/a> of adults aged 50 and older with diabetes in the U.S. have severe tooth loss. Gum disease can increase blood glucose levels and exacerbate the complications of diabetes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you live with Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes mellitus, you are probably aware of the immediate side effects that occur if your blood sugar gets too high, such as racing heartbeat, nausea, blurred vision, and headaches. But what you may not realize is that if either of these types of diabetes is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":54667,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8029],"tags":[790,10298],"coauthors":[20899],"class_list":["post-54979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-education","tag-chronic-disease","tag-diabetes","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Diabetes complications: Causes and prevention<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Uncontrolled diabetes affects the whole body. 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