Diabetes is a complex long-standing disease. If not controlled early
and effectively it can result in many complications involving multiple
organs in the body which can be referred to as shadows cast by
Diabetes on different organ systems in our body. Some of these
complications include stroke, cardiovascular disorders (CVD), obesity,
vision loss, chronic kidney disease etc. Worldwide, one person dies
every 8 seconds from diabetes and its complications1
Obesity/Overweight
Uncontrolled Diabetes casts a shadow of concomitant Obesity. Obesity
is known to be the main risk factor for a number of non-communicable
diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension,
coronary heart disease, and certain types of cancers. 2
Risk of Diabetes increases 4.5% for every 1kg raise in
bodyweight.3 Obesity increases the mortality risk by 7-fold
in people with Diabetes. 4
Uncontrolled diabetes and obesity casts a shadow on your heart.
Many people with Diabetes already have macrovascular complications
by the time they are diagnosed.5 People with T2D are at a
75% increased risk of developing Cardiovascular disease compared with
those without diabetes.6
In fact, Heart disease is the leading cause of disability and
death for people with T2D.1 On an average, for a person
with T2D aged 60 yrs and has experienced a heart attack or stroke, the
life expectancy is reduced by 12 years.7
Kidney Disease
Uncontrolled diabetes and obesity cast a shadow on your kidneys.
Chronic kidney disease is one of the common long-term complications of
diabetes.1 Diabetes, hypertension, kidney failure
and CVD are highly linked.5 Approximately 40% of people
with T2D have kidney diseases.8 The risk of chronic kidney
disease is over 2.5 times higher in people with obesity
compared to people with normal body weight. 9
Stroke
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels in people with diabetes damage the
walls of the blood vessels, thereby speeding up the process of
atherosclerosis. People with diabetes also tend to have high levels of
the types of fats in their blood that get turned into plaques. High
levels of sugar in the blood also make blood more likely to stick
together to form clots. When a clot reaches the brain, it can cause
stroke. A stroke can have a significant effect on physical and mental
health—it can cause movement problems, numbness, and problems with
thinking, remembering, or speaking among other symptoms. Some people
also experience emotional problems, such as depression, after a
stroke.10, 11
Unfortunately, when people with diabetes have a stroke, they are at
an increased risk of dying or being left with a long-term disability,
versus someone without diabetes.12
IT IS TIME TO LOOK AT THERAPIES WHICH REDUCE YOUR A1C + WEIGHT + CV
RISK. Speak to your health care provider to know more about the newer
possibilities in diabetes treatment available lately.
Here’s an illustration/illustrative guide to
help you have a good conversation with your healthcare provider
about the shadows of diabetes.