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The Short Term Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affects insulin levels. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce insulin at all; this form of diabetes usually strikes children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is most frequently seen in adults when the body either does not produce enough insulin or when its cells cannot absorb the insulin. Left untreated, diabetes causes several dangerous short term complications that are uncomfortable, painful and can be deadly.

  1. Hypoglycemia

    • Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar levels and frequently presents itself in diabetic patients. Over-administering insulin to diabetic patients results in a drop in blood sugar, but hypoglycemia is also caused by missing a meal or by certain medications, such as aspirin. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include sweating, anxiety, confusion, headache, numbness and irritability.

    Hyperglycemia

    • Hyperglycemia, the opposite of hypoglycemia, occurs when there is too much sugar in the bloodstream. Hyperglycemia is caused by eating too many carbohydrates or sugars, high stress levels , skipping insulin doses or lack of physical activity. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include extreme thirst, fatigue, headaches and blurred vision.

    Ketoacidosis

    • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) affects mostly people with Type 1 diabetes. DKA is the result of low insulin levels. Sometimes DKA is the first symptom that a patient has diabetes, but it can also develop in those who have already been diagnosed. When the body's insulin levels become critically low, the body is unable to process glucose for fuel, so it begins to break down fat cells for energy. During this process, the body release ketones into the bloodstream. Ketones cause the blood to become acidic; and while the body will attempt to rid itself of ketones through the urine, it will not be able to rid itself completely. This increase in urine output results in extreme dehydration. Patients suffering from DKA typically lose 10 percent of their body fluids. Symptoms of DKA include excessive thirst, vomiting, abdominal pain, dry mouth, low blood pressure and fruity breath odor.

    Infections

    • People with diabetes are typically more prone to infections than non-diabetics. Infections can occur throughout the body, but are most likely to occur in the kidneys, bladder, vagina, feet and gums. Symptoms of infection include high fevers (over 101 degrees Fahrenheit), sweating, chills, pain, sores, nausea or coughing. Because diabetics are especially susceptible to infections, it is imperative that a doctor administer treatment as soon as symptoms occur.

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