Improper management of diabetes can lead to very serious complications. Diabetes affects each and every cell thus major organs in the body. Multiple organ chronic disorders may eventually arise in patients with poor glycemic control. Many of these arise from damage to the blood vessels.

The long-term complications of diabetes can be classified as:

• Large blood vessel diseases (macroangiopathy).
• Small blood vessel diseases (microangiopathy).
  (Small vessel diseases/complications can be reduced by tight blood glucose control).

Small vessel disease complications

• Diabetic Retinopathy and macular oedema, which can lead to blindness.
• Diabetic Neuropathy which can lead to foot ulcers, and if it progresses to necrosis, infection and gangrene, it could require limb amputation.
• Diabetic Nephropathy which can lead to renal failure requiring kidney transplantation.

Large vessel disease complications

• Ischemic heart disease resulting in heart attacks.
• Stroke resulting in paralysis of one side of body.
• Peripheral vascular disease, which aggravates foot ulcers and the risk of amputation.