Uncontrolled Diabetes can Lead to Kidney Damage, Heart Disease, or Stroke

Diabetes is a serious medical condition

Diabetes is an endocrine disease that impairs the body's natural ability to generate or consume insulin. Insulin is the hormone that helps the body turn glucose into energy. When the pancreas produces little or no insulin, the condition is known as diabetes mellitus. The blood glucose levels shoot up leading to different kinds of medical conditions in the body.

Kinds of diabetes

· Type I diabetes: Known as juvenile diabetes, the condition is diagnosed in children or young people. The immune system of the patient prevents the pancreas from producing insulin. Patients with type I diabetes need to take insulin for life.

· Type II Diabetes: Patients with this condition develop resistance to insulin. Insulin production is either insufficient or the regular amount of insulin is insufficient to provide energy to the cells. The pancreas needs to produce more insulin to manage the levels of glucose in the blood. But pancreas may not be able to produce the required amount of insulin. The patient needs to take insulin medication besides controlling this common type of diabetes with diet and exercises.

Symptoms of diabetes

Diabetes can lead to complications that can damage the kidneys, heart, and eyes. Symptoms include:

· Diabetic Retinopathy

· Ketoacidosis - Body uses other hormones to produce energy. This leads to production of toxic acids called ketones.

· Excessive urination

· Extreme thirst

· Fungal, yeast, and bacterial infections

· Protein in urine

· Memory and concentration issues

· Heart disease and stroke

· Loss of consciousness

· Peripheral Neuropathy

· Cataracts and Glaucoma

Effects of diabetes on kidneys

· Diabetes impedes the kidneys from removing waste from blood.

· Microalbuminuria or elevated protein level in urine is suggestive of problems in the kidneys.

· HHS or Diabetic Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome is a condition in which the glucose levels are very high but without ketone bodies. Patients may suffer dehydration and loss of consciousness. This condition is present when diabetes is undetected or when the disease is not under control.

How diabetes affects the overall health

· Diabetes can lead to atherosclerosis - hardening of the blood vessels

· Peripheral neuropathy - Patient loses the ability to feel pain, cold, or heat

· Diabetic neuropathy - Decrease or absence of sensation in hands and feet

· High blood pressure - Diabetes increases the strain on heart. Risk of heart disease or stroke is doubled in case of diabetes

· Diabetic retinopathy - Blood vessels swell in the eye and can impair the vision.

· Cataract and glaucoma can affect the vision of the diabetic patient at a very early stage in life

· Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to skin cracking and infections

Right detection and treatment of diabetes is imperative and when the physician fails to diagnose the condition, the patient can suffer serious consequences that arise due to untreated diabetes. This can constitute medical negligence. Medical negligence can also occur when hospitals and labs fail to run the right diagnostic tests or produce erroneous results.

If you are a victim of medical negligence which has led to aggravation of diabetes, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your medical expenses, loss of income due to absence from work, pain & trauma. Contact our medical malpractice attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff who have won millions in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Call us now at 212-344-1000. There will be a kind and concerned voice on the other side.

We know a winning case when we see one. The first consultation will cost you nothing!