Diabetes is a creeping menace of a disease, I know, I've got it and I have to go for appointments to look at my eyes and feet, blood pressure, kidney funtion and God knows what else. I did not know that almost every organ of your body can be affected by the disease. Diabetic retinopathy affects the eyes, for instance and is very common ad occurs because of changes in the blood vessels of the retina.

In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.

If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.

We hear a lot about people having diabetes and not even knowing they have it. If you have any suspicion at all, get it diagnosed. If you ignore it, it won't go away, it will creep up on you and blind you along with a lot of other nastiness. Controlled the prognosis is really good and with medication and treatment improving all the time, you can manage very well without any of the nasty side effects of this cruel disease.

It is true that diabetes has an effect on every part of the body, and vascular problems which lead to amputations, usually of lower limbs is not uncommon.

Diabetes, when present in the body over many years, can give rise to all sorts of complications. These include heart disease, kidney disease, retinopathy and neuropathy. If left untreated, some of these complications can become extremely damaging to the body. One of the most potentially serious complications regards neuropathy, which at its most severe can lead to amputation.

Diabetes is one the leading causes of amputation of the lower limbs throughout the world. Problems of the foot are the most frequent reasons for hospitalisation amongst patients who have diabetes.

Many hospital visits due to diabetes-related foot problems are preventable through simple foot care routines. All people who have diabetes should have foot check-ups as a part of their regular care routine.

Doctors estimate that almost half of all amputations are caused by neuropathy and circulatory problems that could be prevented.

Read more on this at: [url]http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-amputation.html[/url]

Diabetic patients really need to control any elevate blood pressure to prevent vascular complications. Combination treatment with anti-hypertensive agents is recommended. Angiotensive Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACE Is) in combination with a diuretic are likely a good combination for diabetic patients - this will also assist in protecting renal function.

You are so right Amo, it is very important that a diabetic patient take care of all aspects of their health even if they do not, on the face of it seem to be related to diabetes. Diabetes is in fact a systemic disease and can affect every system of the body. For that reason it is important that every effort be made but the doctor and the patient to make sure that all values are kept as near to normal as possible.

Yep. unfortunately. Here's some ,more info on the feet and leg ulcers and their prevention: [url]http://diabetic-md.com/index.php/foot[/url]