A type 2 diabetes diagnosis is quite common in Americans as of 2020, with the American Diabetes Association finding that over 30 million Americans currently have the condition.
The worst part about the disease, is that you can do something about preventing it or minimizing the effects of it.
To add to mix, though concerning on its own, type 2 diabetes can be even more harmful to the body given the vast number of comorbidities that may come with the condition. This is why it can be such deadly disease.
Once again, to point out to you that it does not have to be like this. You do not have to live a life that increases the chances to be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
Not worried? Not convinced? Fine. Let’s talk about some of the most severe health risks that diabetes makes you more susceptible to.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most common comorbidities of type 2 diabetes. In fact, a study published by the Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America found that more than 50% of diabetics also have high blood pressure.
The combination of these conditions puts you at greater risk for artery and blood vessel damage and a future heart disease diagnosis. The link between the conditions comes down to similar lifestyle factors.
Lower Life Expectancy
Type 2 diabetes can be a dangerous condition, especially if it’s not treated properly post-diagnosis. This, combined with factors like obesity and high blood pressure, can play a pivotal role in your eventual life expectancy.
A study published in Diabetes Care found that type 2 diabetes cuts an average of 5 to 6 years off of a person’s expected lifespan. Diabetes can be so severe that it causes death directly, accounting for over 80,000 American deaths in 2017.
Let’s not mince any words here. Having Type 2 diabetes and doing nothing about it will kill you.
And not only that but all of the other risks and affects of Type 2 diabetes will make your life miserable. Type 2 diabetes can directly affect your quality of life.
Heart Disease
As type 2 diabetes becomes more severe and blood pressure continues to rise, the arteries begin to harden and blood flow becomes impacted. That, along with high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides causes absolute havoc on the cardiovascular system as the years pass. That’s exactly why the American Heart Association found that nearly 70% of seniors with diabetes die from heart disease.
Sleep Apnea
Type 2 diabetes is known to appear in those who are obese, but it’s also a condition recognized for causing nerve damage to sufferers. As a result, a study in Contemporary Reviews in Sleep Medicine found that diabetes may actually inhibit your ability to breathe properly during sleep. This can cause sleep apnea, a condition where you stop breathing several times during the night. In fact, about 30% of those with obstructive sleep apnea also have type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes-Related Conditions
Among the comorbidities that may come with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, there is also a heightened risk for developing conditions seen only in diabetics. These include:
- Diabetic Retinopathy: This is a condition that results from damage to the blood vessels within the eyes, specifically the retinas, sometimes leading to blurry vision or even complete blindness (AAO).
- Diabetic Neuropathy: This is a condition that results from severe nerve damage as a result of type 2 diabetes, sometimes leading to numbness in the extremities or, in extreme cases, amputations (NIDDK).
- Diabetic Nephropathy: This is a condition that results from damage to the blood vessels within the kidneys as a result of type 2 diabetes, a complication seen in up to 1 in 4 diabetics (Mayo Clinic).
Since type 2 diabetes can also impair your body’s ability to heal itself, these conditions may take months or even years to fully get under control.
Conclusion – Final Thoughts
Type 2 diabetes is bad enough on its own, but it can be even more severe when other comorbidities come along with your diagnosis.
Type 2 diabetes will kill you.
If it does not outright kill you, the combination of illnesses can reduce your life expectancy and cause damage to other organs and organ systems within your body. Given the complications that come with diabetes, it’s important to do what you can do to avoid developing this condition in the first place.
You can avoid Type 2 diabetes.
Eat well.
Move more!
Be A Man – Do The Right Thing. It’s Your Life. It’s Your Choice. Take Care Of Yourself. Eat Right And Exercise.
BAM!!! Be A Man! Do The Right Thing.
Be the DtRTy Guy!