1 Chronic conditions

are long-term health complications that worsen over time and can cause serious damage if left unchecked. Some of the more common chronic conditions in diabetes patients include:

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY:

A condition wherein the high blood sugar levels can damage the small blood vessels in the eyes. This remains asymptomatic but may eventually lead to a loss in eyesight, if the control of sugar remains poor

FOOT PROBLEMS:

Patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing serious foot problems that, if left unattended, could eventually result in amputation

HEART ATTACK AND STROKE:

High blood sugar along with high blood pressure and cholesterol lead to blockages in arteries thereby increasing the patient’s risk of cardiovascular diseases (by two to three-folds) and stroke

KIDNEY DISEASE (NEPHROPATHY):

Nephropathy is a slowly developing condition that occurs in those patients who have had diabetes of l ong duration. In this condition, there is leakage of proteins in the urine and, if left untreated, can lead to kidney failure

NEUROPATHIS PROBLEMS:

Nerve damage occurs because the high blood sugar levels cause damage to the blood vessels that supply the nerves, thereby causing damage to nerve fibres. Neuropathy can be of three types — sensory, autonomic and motor and may be responsible for non-healing foot ulcers leading to amputations