Prevention of diabetes complications
Diabetes can affect many parts of the body and can lead to serious
complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and lower-limb amputations. Working together, people with diabetes and their health care providers can reduce the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications by controlling the levels of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids and by receiving other preventive care practices in a timely manner.
Glucose control
Studies in the United States and abroad have found that improved glycemic control benefits people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In general, every percentage point drop in A1C blood test results (e.g., from 8 to 7 percent) reduces the risk of microvascular complications (eye, kidney, and nerve disease) is reduced by 40 percent.
Blood pressure control
Blood pressure control reduces the risk of
cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke) among persons with diabetes by 33 to 50 percent, and the risk of
microvascular complications (eye, kidney, and nerve disease) by about 33 percent. In general, for every 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, the risk for any complication related to diabetes is reduced by 12 percent.
Control of blood lipids
Improved control of
cholesterol or blood lipids (for example, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20 to 50 percent.
Preventive care practices for eyes, kidneys, and feet
Detecting and treating
diabetic eye disease with laser therapy
can reduce the development of severe vision loss by an estimated 50 to 60 percent. Comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45 to 85 percent. Detecting and treating early
diabetic kidney disease by lowering blood pressure can reduce the decline in kidney function by 30 to 70 percent. Treatment with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are more effective in reducing the decline in kidney function than other blood pressure-lowering drugs.
