Diabetes (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Diabetes Overview
- Diabetes Causes
- Diabetes Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Diabetes Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Support Groups and Counseling
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Outlook
Diabetes is a leading cause of death in all industrialized nations. Overall, the risk of premature death of people with diabetes is twice that of people who do not have diabetes. Prognosis depends on the type of diabetes, degree of blood sugar control, and development of complications.
Type 1 diabetes
About 15% of people with type 1 diabetes die before age 40 years, which is about 20 times the rate of that age group in the general population.
- The most common causes of death in type 1 diabetes are
diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure, and heart disease.
- The good news is that prognosis can be improved with good blood sugar control. Maintaining tight blood sugar control has been proven to prevent, slow the progression of, and even improve established complications of type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes
The life expectancy of people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in their 40s decreases by 5-10 years because of the disease.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people
with type 2 diabetes.
- Excellent glycemic control, tight blood pressure control, and keeping the "bad" cholesterol (LDL) level at the recommended level of <100 mg/dL (or lower, particularly if other risk factors for cardiovascular disease are present) and the "good" (HDL) cholesterol as high as possible. Use of aspirin when indicated can prevent, slow the progression of, and improve established complications in diabetes.
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 »
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a group of disorders characterized by hyperglycemia and associated with microvascular (ie, retinal, renal, possibly neuropathic), macrovascular (ie, coronary, peripheral vascular), and neuropathic (ie, autonomic, peripheral) complications.
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