Type 2 diabetes

The risk of long-term complications from diabetes can be reduced.If you controlyour blood glucose and blood pressure, you canreduce your risk of death, stroke, heart failure, and other complications. Reduction of HbA1c by even 1% can decrease your risk for complicatons by 25%.

Complications:

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Emergency complications include diabetic coma.

Long-term complications include:

Diabetic retinopathy (eye disease)
Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease)
Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage)
Peripheral vascular disease (damage to blood vessels/circulation)
High cholesterol, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider immediately if you have:

These symptoms can rapidly progress to emergency conditions (such as convulsions, unconsciousness, or hypoglycemic coma).

References:

Rao G. Insulin resistance syndrome. Am Fam Physician. 2001 Mar 15;63(6):1159-63, 1165-6.

Watson S,Miller K. Encyclopedia of the Human Body: The Endocrine System. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 2004.

Larson PR, Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, et al. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 10th ed. St. Louis, MO: WB Saunders; 2003.