Prevention

You can prevent or delay complications from type 2 diabetes by keeping your blood sugar levels within your target range. Scientific evidence shows that tightly controlling blood sugar levels can prevent the development and progression of small blood vessel (microvascular) disease and nerve disease (neuropathy).

Talk to your doctor about whether you should take low-dose aspirin. Daily low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams) may help prevent heart problems if you are at risk for heart attack or stroke. People who have diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely than people who don't have diabetes to die from heart and blood vessel diseases.⁶

Prevention and early detection

To prevent and detect complications early:

• Don't smoke. If you quit smoking, you will reduce your risk for early damage to the blood vessels caused by diabetes.⁹ For information on how to quit smoking, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
• Inspect your feet daily, wear properly fitted shoes, do not go barefoot or use home remedies, and have a foot exam each year. If you have poor vision, have someone else examine your feet daily and help you with foot and toenail care. Keep pathways in your home clear of objects that could cause a fall.
• Tell your doctor immediately if you have blurred vision, floaters, or flashes of light.
• Have an eye exam once a year by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.
• Have yearly urine tests for protein. At the first sign of small amounts of protein (microalbuminuria), talk with your doctor about whether you can take a high blood pressure medicine, such as an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotension II receptor blocker (ARB).
• Get effective treatment for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. You may take a diuretic, ACE inhibitor, ARB, or other medicines to keep your blood pressure consistently below 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). You also may need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines such as statins (for example, Lipitor, Zocor, or Pravachol) to reach your goals.⁷
• Have yearly exams to test for touch and feeling sensations in your feet and legs and report any symptoms of digestive, sexual, or urinary problems or signs of hypoglycemia unawareness as soon as you notice them.

Other preventive measures

• Keep your immunizations up to date. Diabetes affects your immune system, increasing your risk for having a serious case of the flu, pneumonia, or other infections. For the recommended immunization schedule, see the topic Immunizations.