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.