have heard that an older patient has lost his vision or started dialysis for kidney failure or even had a foot amputation surgery for bad circulation. All these horrible complications have one thing in common. It is a chronic disease which was neglected by the patients and was not taken seriously for years. This common disease is called diabetes. I will talk about its complications in detail in this video.
The most important complication in diabetes is stroke. This is due to a blockage in one artery in the brain. A stroke can cause either paralysis or slurred speech. On the other hand, if the blocked artery is in the heart, it will cause heart attack or sudden death. So, we advise diabetic patients to have a heart check up to discover this complication early.
Diabetes can also affect the kidneys; Early signs is when we find protein in the urine. If this is not treated early, it can lead after many years to kidney failure and possible need for dialysis or even kidney transplant. We advise patients to have periodic blood and urine tests every 3 months to discover it early.
Diabetes can also affect the eye especially the retina which can cause blurry vision, bleeding inside the eyes and eventually loss of vision. It is recommended to see the eye doctor every year to discover this complication early to treat it with laser to avoid blindness.
Another complication is its affect on the nerves especially the feet. Patients feel tingling & numbness in the skin. Also, diabetes can cause poor circulation in the feet. They might feel pain in the legs when they are walking. Sometimes they might develop ulcers in the feet. If this is not treated quickly it can lead to gangrene which might require foot amputation to treat it.
The purpose of this video is not to scare you but to educate you about these potential complications of diabetes. Patients should try to keep their diabetes within excellent control especially the A1c test around 6.5%. you can achieve this by taking diabetes medicine regularly and following a strict diet. Also, by doing regular exercise in order to lose weight. Medical studies have shown that if you follow this advice to control your diabetes you will avoid these complications and live a normal life
Video shot by Galia Helbaoui and edited by Amer Helbaoui
29 мар 2023
