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Complications of Hyperglycemia

After an individual eats a meal, the food is broken down into sugar. That sugar travels to the bloodstream. Once in the pancreas, the sugar becomes insulin. A person's body then uses the insulin to move the sugar into the cells. Then the cells convert the sugar into energy. When an individual has diabetes, there's a breakdown in process. The pancreas doesn't not make or recognize the insulin. If the individual has a high amount of sugar in the blood, hyperglycemia occurs. Over time, if untreated or uncontrolled, complications from hyperglycemia can cause damage.

  1. Ketoacidosis

    • Ketoacidosis happens when hyperglycemia is not treated. This complication is also called diabetic coma, or DKA. Ketoacidosis usually occurs in an individual with type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is the disease where the body produces no insulin at all. Symptoms of ketoacidosis such as dry mouth, thirst, high levels of ketones in the urine and blood. If the symptoms are ignored, more symptoms like confusion, vomiting and loss of consciousness and shortness of breath will occur. At that point, the only treatment is to seek immediate medical attention. At the hospital, IV fluids will be administered.

    Amputations

    • Hyperglycemia can lead to nerve damage. Symptoms of damaged nerves are loss of feeling in the arms, hands, feet, legs and toes. In addition, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can impair the immune system function. This impairment can cause minor cuts to become infected. If a person has nerve damage and doesn't check the extremities daily, amputations can happen.

    Heart Disease

    • Although diabetes will increase a person's risk for heart disease, hyperglycemia left untreated can lead with the disease. For instance, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can increase triglycerides and cholesterol which are blood fats. Also, hyperglycemia can increase the risk of blood flow blockage to the tissues. Hyperglycemia can also cause high blood pressure.

    Blindness

    • Over time, hyperglycemia can cause fluid to build up behind the retina. Another complication is called retinopathy. This can damage the blood vessels. The vessels supply the blood to the portion of the eye that can sense light or the retina. Thus, retinopathy can lead to blindness.

    Kidney Disease

    • Normally, the kidneys rid the blood of toxins and waste. However, kidney functions can diminish when the kidney vessels are affected by hyperglycemia. With kidney disease and hyperglycemia the kidneys' blood vessels do not work properly. Therefore, the toxins and waste stays in a person's body. Dialysis or kidney transplant can be treatments for the disease.

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