From the Guidelines
The primary target organs damaged in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) are the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels, as a result of chronic hyperglycemia. According to the study published in Diabetes Care 1, diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, leading to long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of different organs. The key organs affected include:
- Eyes: diabetic retinopathy, where blood vessels in the retina become damaged, potentially causing vision loss
- Kidneys: diabetic nephropathy, leading to protein leakage and potentially progressing to kidney failure
- Nerves: diabetic neuropathy, typically affecting peripheral nerves, causing numbness, pain, or weakness, particularly in the extremities
- Heart: cardiovascular complications, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and increased risk of heart attacks due to accelerated atherosclerosis
- Blood vessels: poor circulation, especially in the lower limbs, which can cause diabetic foot problems These complications result from chronic hyperglycemia causing oxidative stress, inflammation, and advanced glycation end-products that damage tissues over time, as described in the study 1.