What Happens If Diabetes Goes Untreated?
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About Diabetes Mellitus
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Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, characterized by high levels of blood sugar. Sugar enters the blood stream through the digestive tract. In a healthy body, the pancreas releases insulin, which moves blood sugar into the cells. In the cells, the mitochondria process the sugar into usable energy. In a diabetic, the pancreas either does not produce insulin or the body is unable to properly use the insulin. If left untreated, diabetes damages several important systems in the body, and can even cause death.
Cardiovascular Damage
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Excess blood sugar damages the blood vessels, putting diabetics at increased risk for heart disease, atherosclerosis and stroke. Blood vessel damage also contributes to nerve damage, kidney failure and blindness. If the vessels to the eye are affected, it can cause diabetic retinopathy, a condition where part of the retina dies from lack of blood flow. If the vessels that feed a nerve are damaged, the nerve and all the structures on the nerve will be impaired. Additionally, diabetes negatively affects circulation, especially to the extremities. The body relies on blood flow as part of the healing process -- diabetics often experience poor wound healing.
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Diabetic Neuropathy and Blindness
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Excess blood sugar causes damage and inflammation in the nerves, resulting in impaired sensory and motor function. If the sugar damages the nerves in the eye, it can result in blindness. In the hands and feet, it can cause numbness, leaving the diabetic at risk for injury. A diabetic with neuropathy could cut his foot and not realize that he has been injured. A diabetic with neuropathy and poor circulation is at risk for amputation from something as simple as an unnoticed scratch, left untreated.
Kidney Disease and Kidney Failure
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According to the National Diabetes Information Clearing House, diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. Even patients with controlled diabetes are at risk. The kidneys filter waste from the blood, including excess sugar. Excess sugar can damage the renal blood vessels, causing plasma proteins to leak into the urine. Excess blood sugar also causes the kidneys to work harder to filter the urine. Over time, the kidney's filtering functions become impaired and the body begins to retain wastes. If left untreated, the kidneys will fail completely, resulting in death.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
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If the body is unable to process glucose, it metabolizes fat for energy. Ketones are toxic and are a natural byproduct of fat metabolism. In a healthy person, the body breaks down fat slowly enough that it is able to filter out the ketones. In a diabetic, the body has to break down the fat much quicker and the ketones build up in the blood stream before the body can get rid of them. Ketones make the blood acidic, which can damage the organs and even cause death. Ketoacidosis is most common in people with Type 1 diabetes, but can also occur in people with Type 2.
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