Diabetes – Managing and preventing long-term complications

• Cardiovascular problems including heart disease and stroke.
• Nerve damage (neuropathy) – causes numbness or pain, often affecting the legs and feet.
• Kidney damage (nephropathy) – can lead to kidney failure, and the need for dialysis or transplant.
• Eye damage (retinopathy) – can lead to vision loss; cataracts, glaucoma.
• Foot problems including nerve damage, poor blood flow and poor wound healing.
• Skin infections.
• Dental problems, such as gum disease.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Hearing loss.

For both short and long-term complications, the best prevention is good control of your blood sugar by following your treatment plan diligently:

• Take medications exactly as prescribed: both for diabetes, and any other medications to treat risk factors (e.g, high blood pressure, high cholesterol).
• Monitor your blood sugar regularly.
• Follow a healthy diet e.g. Mediterranean or Dash diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Don’t skip meals.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise regularly – minimum 30 minutes five days a week.
• Stay well-hydrated.
• Don’t smoke.
• See your doctor regularly to monitor your diabetes and to screen for any potential complications.