Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors, such as obesity and lack of exercise, appear to play roles. There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.
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Will Cross arrived at Mt. Everest's Camp 4, the last stop before the pinnacle, on the afternoon of May 22, breathing oxygen and trying to stay hydrated. Two attempts to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain had failed in previous years, and this expedition had already lasted six weeks. In half an hour, Cross and his team were scheduled to go back outdoors and attempt the summit. Then, the unexpected happened, something that had nothing to do with temperatures or weather. Cross's blood sugar started to plummet.
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Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss. Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of this disease. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. Diabetic eye disease may include the following: diabetic retinopathy, which is damage to the blood vessels in the retina; cataract, which is clouding of the eye's lens; and glaucoma, which is an increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision.
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Foot problems in diabetes can be caused by damage to both large and small blood vessels, which is much more common in diabetes. Foot problems, including nerve damage or peripheral neuropathy, usually begin with vascular disease. In particular, damage to small blood vessels appears to be the major cause of nerve damage that results in loss of feeling, or pain and burning sensations that bother the feet and legs. Once nerve damage progresses, it triggers loss of motor control and the abnormal gait that results in ulcers and amputations.
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A key goal of diabetes treatment is to prevent complications since, over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves, although the person may not know damage is taking place. It's important to diagnose and treat diabetes early, because it can cause damage even before it makes someone feel ill. How diabetes causes long-term problems is unclear. However, changes in the small blood vessels and nerves are common. These changes may be the first step toward many problems that diabetes causes. Scientists can't predict which diabetics will develop complications, but complications are most likely to occur in someone who has had diabetes for many years. However, because a person can have diabetes without knowing it, a complication may be the first sign.
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