Major Complications of Diabetes in elderly

Diabetes can be severe and life-threatening in the elderly if not treated in the preliminary stages. Major Complications of Diabetes are:

Cardiovascular- like Heart Attacks, Stroke, and Paralysis-- these may be life-threatening or debilitating ones.

Renal- Kidney failure; which may require Dialysis and ultimately Kidney Transplant may also be a life-threatening and severely debilitating complication of Diabetes.

 

Eye complications- Retinopathy, which affects the Retina or the light-sensing part (like the film in a camera) of the eyes, Glaucoma, and severe cataract all may cause Blindness and are
irreversible.

Neuropathy- Nerves that are responsible for sending and receiving impulses from and to Brain get affected, this causes symptoms like pain, burning, numbness or tingling in the feet.

When Nerves of the Autonomic nervous system get affected, they mask the symptoms of Heart attack (Painless angina and Heart Attacks), cause problems with digestion, heaviness in the stomach, difficulty in passing Urine and many other problems.

Foot complications- Since the feet are compromised as a result of many complications like Neuropathy and Peripheral Vascular Disease, even small scratches may grow into big unmanageable
wounds and ulcers that may necessitate amputation of the feet.

Sexual problems-Erectile dysfunction has a profound adverse impact on families. Sexual problems are faced by not only men but also women.

Depression- Persons with uncontrolled diabetes are more prone to depression than non-diabetic individuals.

Mahesh Moolani, MD is an Internist and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and is a health consultation at Elderly Loved Ones. He stresses on the fact that most of these complications are avoidable in the elderly if diabetes is kept under control. For more information on how Elderly Loved Ones is helpful for diabetes in elderly, and heart disease in elderly, please visit www.elderlylovedones.com