Micro and macro vascular complications of diabetes

Micro and macro vascular complications of diabetes

Diabetes significantly increases an individual’s risk of developing multiple microvascular and cardiovascular complications.

Diabetes significantly increases an individual’s risk of developing multiple microvascular and cardiovascular complications.


Microvascular complication:

The long-term microvascular complications of diabetes include
•Retinopathy
•Nephropathy and
•Neuropathy

Retinopathy: Retinopathy can result in loss of vision, therefore early diagnosis of retinopathy is essential as early use of laser photocoagulation may delay and prevent visual loss. This early detection can only be achieved by a program of routine screening.

Read more details about Diabetic retinopathy


Nephropathy: Nephropathy may lead to end-stage renal disease. The rate of decline in renal function is accelerated by the presence of hypertension. Peripheral neuropathy which is complicating diabetes most commonly affects the sensory and motor nerves of the lower limbs.

Read more details about Diabetic nephropathy

Neuropathy: Neuropathy poses the risk of foot ulcers, limb amputation, neuropathic joint damage, sexual dysfunction and dysfunction of other internal organs such as the stomach, bowel and bladder.

Read more details about Diabetic neuropathy


Macrovascular complication:

The macrovascular complications of diabetes include atherosclerotic cardiovascular, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis of the major vessels especially coronary and aorto-ilio-femoral systems. These in turn are the major cause of premature death in people with T2DM.

Prevention of the cardiovascular complications is a major goal of current therapeutic policy. Although reduction in macrovascular complications depends on tight glycemic control, modification of other risk factors such as smoking, hypertension and dyslipidemia is also equally important.


Diabetes complications can be avoided and even if they occur, their progress can be prevented through early surveillance and treated. The appropriate approach to treat the diabetic complications is first ensure appropriate implementation of the therapies that can avoid the complications and also to detect the complications at the earliest possible time so that treatment can be initiated.