Why is high blood sugar bad?

Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, can have a number of negative consequences for the body, including:

- Damage to blood vessels: High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis, which is the narrowing or hardening of the arteries. This can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.

- Nerve damage: High blood sugar can also damage the nerves, leading to diabetic neuropathy. This can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the hands, feet, and legs.

- Kidney damage: High blood sugar can damage the kidneys, leading to diabetic nephropathy. This can cause the kidneys to leak protein into the urine and to lose their ability to filter waste products from the blood.

- Eye damage: High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in the retina, leading to diabetic retinopathy. This can cause blurred vision, floaters, and even blindness.

- Skin problems: High blood sugar can cause a number of skin problems, including dry, itchy skin, rashes, and infections.

- Increased risk of infection: People with high blood sugar are more likely to develop infections, such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin infections.

- Weight gain: High blood sugar can lead to weight gain, which can further increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.

- Coma: In severe cases, high blood sugar can lead to diabetic coma, which is a life-threatening condition.

It's important to manage blood sugar levels to prevent or delay these complications and maintain overall health.