If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are too high. Over time, this can cause problems with other body functions, such as your kidneys, nerves, feet, and eyes. Having diabetes can also put you at a higher risk for heart disease and bone and joint disorders. Other long-term complications of diabetes include skin problems, digestive problems, sexual dysfunction, and problems with your teeth and gums.
Very high or very low blood sugar levels can also lead to emergencies in people with diabetes. The cause can be an underlying infection, certain medicines, or even the medicines you take to control your diabetes. If you feel nauseated, sluggish or shaky, seek emergency care.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Diabetes: Preventing Diabetic Complications(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/diabetes/living/356.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/diabetes/living/356.printerview.html
- Long Term Complications of Diabetes(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diabetes_basics/what/complications.html
- Diabetes Complications(Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International) - http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=101308
- Type 1 Diabetes Complications(American Diabetes Association) - http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/complications.jsp
- Diabetes Care: 10 Ways to Avoid Diabetes Complications(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes-management/DA00008/METHOD=print
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Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Heart and Blood Vessels Healthy
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_heart/
Also available in Spanish http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/complications_heart/index.htm -
Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_teeth/
Also available in Spanish http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/complications_teeth/index.htm
- Anemia and Diabetes(American Diabetes Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/anemia.pdf
- Bone and Joint Problems Associated with Diabetes(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes/AN01072/METHOD=print
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Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Diabetes(American Diabetes Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.diabetes.org/main/uedocuments/ADACholesterolPatient.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/CholSpan.pdf
- Diabetes and Alzheimer's: Insulin Resistance Increases Risk(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes-and-alzheimers/AZ00050/METHOD=print
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Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/
- Diabetes: How Does It Affect My Liver?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes/AN00193/METHOD=print
- Diabetic Amyotrophy(American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine) - http://www.aanem.org/education/patientInfo/diabetic_amyotrophy.cfm
- Diabetic Coma(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetic-coma/DS00656/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Diabetic Hyperosmolar Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetic-hyperosmolar-syndrome/DS00664/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetic-ketoacidosis/DS00674/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Diabetic Vascular Disease(Society for Vascular Surgery) - http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Diabetic_Vascular_Disease.html
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Gastroparesis(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/
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Hyperglycemia(American Diabetes Association) - http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/hyperglycemia.jsp
Also available in Spanish http://www.diabetes.org/espanol/diabetes-tipo-2/hiperglucemia.jsp
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Hypoglycemia(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/index.htm
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If You Have Diabetes You Are at High Risk for Heart Attack & Stroke(National Diabetes Education Program) - Links to PDF - http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/ControlABC_broch_Eng.pdf
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Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/sup/
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Skin Complications(American Diabetes Association) - http://www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/what-is-diabetes/skin-complications.jsp
Also available in Spanish http://www.diabetes.org/espanol/todo-sobre-la-diabetes/complicaciones-piel.jsp
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What People with Diabetes Need to Know about Osteoporosis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Conditions_Behaviors/diabetes.asp
- Insulin and Weight Gain: Keep the Pounds Off(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/insulin-and-weight-gain/DA00139/METHOD=print
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Matters of the Heart: How to Support a Loved One with Diabetes(National Diabetes Education Program) - Links to PDF - http://ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/matters-support-a-loved-one.pdf
- Diabetic Dermopathy(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/diabeticDermopathy.htm
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetes Complications(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Diabetes+Complications%22
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Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and Follow-up Study(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/control/
- Diabetics Have Same Risk for Heart Attack, Stroke or Death from Cardiovascular Diseases as Those with Prior Heart Attack(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=380
- Does Diabetes Affect Hearing?(American College of Physicians) - http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/149/1/I-20
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Study Finds Tooth Eruption Accelerated in Kids with Diabetes(National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/ResearchResults/ScienceBriefs/CurrentSNIB/ToothEruption.htm
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Impaired tissue perfusion: a pathology common to hypertension, obesity, and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18725503&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Diabetic cardiomyopathy: insights into pathogenesis, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic options. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18724960&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Diabetes resources. Finding help for kidney disease. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18717032&tool=MedlinePlus
- Diabetes Complications -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=diabetes+complications[majr]+NOT+(diabetic+retinopathy[mh]+OR+diabetic+neuropathies[mh]+OR+diabetic+foot[mh]+OR+diabetes,gestational[mh]+OR+pregnancy+in+diabetics[mh]+OR+glucose[mh]+OR+(diabetes+mellitus[mh]+AND+kidney/pp[mh]))+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Take Charge of Your Diabetes: Glossary(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/tcyd/appendix.htm
- American Diabetes Association - http://www.diabetes.org/
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National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Complications of Diabetes in the United States(American Diabetes Association) - http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/complications.jsp
- Long-Term Complications of Diabetes(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/diabetes_basics/what/complications.html
- Erectile Dysfunction and Diabetes: Take Control Today(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/erectile-dysfunction/DA00045/METHOD=print
- Diabetes and Female Sexuality(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/diabetes_mellitus/hic_diabetes_and_female_sexuality.aspx
- Menopause and Diabetes: A Twin Challenge(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes/DA00038/METHOD=print
- Diabetes - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetes.html
- Diabetes and Pregnancy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetesandpregnancy.html
- Diabetes Type 1 - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetestype1.html
- Diabetic Eye Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticeyeproblems.html
- Diabetic Foot - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticfoot.html
- Diabetic Kidney Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetickidneyproblems.html
- Diabetic Nerve Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticnerveproblems.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
- Metabolic Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/metabolicproblems.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Diabetes Complications is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
Diabetes Complications - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/diabetescomplications.html