Diabetes is a disease that has existed for quite a while, which is why in the 21th century, the prevalence of this disease affects a billion individuals globally with influence blood glucose, or throughout the body vascular systems. Everyone clearly understands the relationship between diabetes and the occurrence of vascular complications. This is, of course, understandable: due to high levels of sugar in diabetes the blood vessels are progressively being attacked leading to severe heart problems. It is important to appreciate the association between diabetes and vascular health to be able to treat both at the same time and also avert any future problems. In this article, we are going to look into the impact of diabetes on the vascular system and how you can also care for your blood vessels.

In What Manner Does Diabetes Affect Blood Vessels

Every time blood glucose level is decreased below normal blood saturation for a prolonged period, the walls of small and major blood vessels will sustain some structural damage. This injury may cause several problems including:

1. Dysfunction of endothelial: The endothelium is the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels. Endothelium healthy function is critical in the health of a vessel and other systems and tissues in the body. The consequences of diabetes on vascular structure and functional performance begin with high sugar levels that affect the function of the endothelium, increasing the rigidity of blood vessels and reducing their capacity to expand and constrict appropriately. Such disorder in function is a prelude to many vascular complications that are common with diabetes diseases.
2. Atherosclerosis: Because of damage to blood vessels, they tend to develop a condition known as atherosclerosis, where an abnormal accumulation of substances in the inner walls of the vessels occurs. This eventually will cause the vessels to narrow with inefficient blood flow. Patients of diabetes are at higher chances of suffering from heart attacks, strokes and peripheral artery disease (PAD), as a result of this.
3. Increased Risk of Blood Clots: Increased levels of blood sugar are also associated with more blood clotting. One of the adverse effects of blood clotting in atheroma-laden coronary arteries is that when the clots are formed, the arteries do not receive blood resulting in acute situations such as stroke or heart attack.

Vascular Complications Associated with Diabetes

The vascular complications arising from diabetes are mainly of two types i.e. macrovascular and microvascular.

Microvascular Complications

These relate to damage of the short blood vessels, and include;

• Diabetic Retinopathy: There is damage to the small vessels which are inside the eyes resulting in poor vision and ultimately blindness.
• Diabetic Nephropathy: The small blood vessels which are present in the kidneys get damaged and that leads to kidney damage and possible loss of kidneys.
• Diabetic Neuropathy: Damage of nerves from poor blood supply occurs and this causes numbness, pain, and lack of feeling mostly to the extremities; hands and legs.

Macrovascular Complications

This kind of complication encompasses the compromise of the larger blood vessels and includes:

• Cardiovascular illness (CVD): People with a diabetes diagnosis show a notable susceptibility to heart disease which leads to heart attacks or congestive heart failure.
• Cerebral vascular accident: According to Wible et al, there is 2 times increased risk of stroke in Diabetic patients because Diabetes mellitus promotes high blood sugar level which damages blood vessels.
• Peripheral Artery Disease: PAD results from the narrowing of arteries in your lower limbs leading to limb pain when walking, inability to heal wounds, and in extreme cases limb amputation.

Caring For Your Blood Vessels Even When You Have Diabetes

Even though diabetes is an important risk factor for problems of the blood vessels complications can be avoided for example:

1. Control of Blood Sugar Levels: This is the most important measure that can be taken to guarantee the health of the vascular system. These include routine tests, correct medications, and changes in lifestyle and diet learning.
2. Go for a Healthy Meal: Consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean wealth and healthy fats diet helps to lessen the chances of atherosclerosis and other vascular bad effects. Limiting added sugars, salt and other harmful fat is equally important.
3. Exercise Regularly: The body is highly active during exercise, improving blood flow, lowering the levels of sugar, and helping in keeping a healthy weight. Moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes most days is ideal.
4. Manage Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: Elevated blood pressure and cholesterol are some of the factors that worsen any vascular injury. Drugs and modifications of the way of living assist in providing these levels under control.
5. Quit Smoking: Smoking is a dangerous habit that causes great vascular complications complicated by diabetes. Smoking cessation can significantly enhance poor blood flow to the limbs and decrease the chances of a heart attack or stroke.
6. Foot Care: Diabetes can lead to a condition known as neuropathy – where nerves stop of change will make the feet numb – and poor blood flow to the feet. For this reason, it is important to take care of the feet status regularly. It is of utmost importance for individuals to monitor their feet every day for any cuts, sores, blisters or signs of infections and if any of these occur, it is necessary to thin out medical care.

When to Contact the Medical Professional

If you are suffering from diabetes and notice symptoms that include leg pain, numbness, poor healing of any wounds, or even visual changes, it is important to get medical attention right away. Prompt treatment can avert more deterioration in flaccid vascular disease.

Winding Up: Comprehending and Dealing With the Interrelationship of Diabetes and Vascular Health

Diabetes has been known to greatly affect vascular health which in turn leads to various complications in parts of the body such as the hands and legs. It may seem difficult to safeguard the blood vessels and prevent grave health risks, but with management and discipline, it is achievable. It has been shown that effective positive management can be done by frequent follow-ups, healthy eating, working out, and avoiding vices such as getting hooked on cigarettes. Those who can proactively protect their health can also expect to see a further reduction of complications while keeping diabetes under control and effective management for a better living quality.