High Blood sugar and other factors of diabetes lead to "Complications" often taking years to develop.

Often diabetes is not diagnosed for years and some complications such as retinopathy may be already well progressed. Foot complications are often the first notice to many that they have diabetes.

Intravascular complications from high sugar damage to the capillaries and dependent organs such as the kidneys (nephropathy), eyes (retinopathy), and the peripheral extremities leading to diabetic leg ulcers, leading to gangrene and leading to amputation.

Eye complications include lens damage, and increased cataracts. Diabetes doubles the chances of glaucoma.

Diabetes can affect circulation to the back of the eye causing fragile new blood vessels which can easily burst causing a hemorrhage which can blind the eye.

Diabetic complication, retinopathy involves the narrowing, hardening, bulging, hemorrhaging or severing of the veins and capillaries of the retina.

Retinopathy has some stage in development in most diabetics and takes normally ten to 13 years to fully develop to blindness. However, it may be well progressed in many who may have had diabetes for years before being diagnosed. Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the US.

The peripheral neuropathies (nerve damage) primarily to feet and legs, and hands, include: itching, burning sensation and, numbness. The combination of loss of feeling in the feet, and loss of circulation prove to be a very hazardous combination.

Loss of Nerves that control heart rhythm, can be fatal, failure of proper organ function such as delayed stomach emptying from damage to the vagus nerve, leading to complete failure of digestion.

Loss of autonomic nerves that control such things as blood pressure and male potency. Example, blood pressure may fall on standing -

Skin Complications happen to one-third of diabetics. These will have a skin disorder caused or affected by diabetes at some time in their lives. The first clue for many that they have diabetes.

Oral complications of Diabetes are often overlooked.

Important risk factor for severe periodontitis that can lead to the loss of teeth.

Diabetics may have more prevalent dry mouth, gum disease, soft tissue damage and dental caries (cavities)", and a much larger number of root canals.

Diabetics may be more prone to cavities, due to higher sugar (glucose) levels in the saliva surrounding the teeth.

The macrovascular complications - heart disease -and stroke proceed six times faster in diabetics. This complication is a associated with high insulin levels: which often causes weight gain and increase in blood pressure and cholesterol, adding up to increased vascular complications.

The coronary arteries which feed the heart muscle are starved by sugar thickened blood setting the stage for heart attack.

80% of diabetics die of cardio vascular complications including strokes when the carotid artery which feeds the brain become restricted..

Diabetics blood clots easier leading to cardio vascular events. 

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