Symptoms and Complications
People with type 2 diabetes may not have symptoms for years or decades, but as the disease progresses, symptoms develop. People with type 2 diabetes may have the following signs and symptoms:
- blurred sight
- decreased sensation or numbness in the hands and feet
- dry, itchy skin
- frequent bladder and vaginal infections
- frequent need to urinate
- increased thirst and hunger
- male impotence (erectile dysfunction)
- slow healing of cuts or sores
- tiredness
Unfortunately, many people with type 2 diabetes go undiagnosed for several years and are not diagnosed until they go to the doctor with complications of diabetes.
High blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) can lead to a condition called glucose toxicity. This leads to further damage to the pancreas, and the body is less able to produce insulin. Without insulin, glucose levels continue to rise to levels that can cause damage to organs such as the eyes, nerves, and kidneys. These problems are similar to the complications associated with type 1 diabetes.
People with diabetes are at greater risk for problems that involve damage to small blood vessels and nerves due to high levels of glucose in the blood. They are also at a greater risk of developing hardening of large arteries (atherosclerosis), which can result in a heart attack, stroke, or poor blood flow to the legs.
Damage to small blood vessels can affect the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Damage to eyes, specifically the retina, is called diabetic retinopathy and is the leading cause of blindness. Damage to the kidneys, called diabetic nephropathy, can lead to kidney failure and the need for dialysis. Damage to the nerves that supply the legs and arms and gastrointestinal tract is called neuropathy. Some people with diabetes who develop peripheral neuropathy (damage to the nerves in the legs) and have poor blood flow to the legs may eventually need an amputation.
If blood glucose levels become very high, especially when there are other stresses such as infection, people with type 2 diabetes may become confused, dizzy, and have seizures. This can lead to a condition called non-ketonic hyperglycemic-hyperosmolar
coma and requires immediate medical attention.
Fortunately, the complications of diabetes can be prevented, delayed, or slowed by controlling blood glucose levels to as close to the normal range as possible. The normal range is 70 mg/dL to 126 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L to 7 mmol/L).