No
matter whether you suffer from diabetes type 1 or diabetes type 2 you may and
in majority of cases you will experience some complications related to your
diabetes. Degree to which you may have those complications depends on how well
you control the level of your sugar in your blood (blood glucose). The more
strictly you are with your diabetes, the less chances of developing
complications you have.

Generally,
complications of diabetes are divided into two groups:

·  
Acute short term complications, and

·  
Chronic long term complications.

All complications are related to levels of
your blood sugar.

Acute complications of diabetes are a result of either a very low level of blood sugar (hypoglycaemia),
or a very high level of blood sugar (hyperglycaemia).
All acute diabetic complications develop rapidly over a period of minutes and hours. The most acute
common complications are:

• Hypoglycaemia – low
  blood sugar.
• Hyperglycaemia –
  high blood sugar.
• Diabetic
  ketoacidosis (DKA) – mostly complication of type 1 diabetes.
• Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic
  state (HHS) – complication of type 2 diabetes.

All relevant acute complications are
explained in the separate sections:

-      
Click under Acute Complications – signs and
symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and how they can be prevented.

Chronic complications of diabetes are all result of prolonged high levels of blood sugar, which leads to damages in the blood
vessels, especially the micro blood vessels that are called capillaries. As a
result blood circulation is poor which may harm the eyes, brain, nerves, heart,
kidneys, legs and skin. All chronic diabetic complications develop
progressively over a course of several months and years. The most common
chronic complications are:

• Diabetic
  retinopathy – damage of eyes.
• Neuropathy –
  damage to nerves.

·       
Vascular disease, atherosclerosis leading to
various heart conditions

• Nephropathy –
  damage of kidneys.
• Diabetic feet
  complications.

All relevant chronic complications are
explained in the separate sections:

-      
Click under Chronic Complications – signs and
symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and how they can be prevented.