complications of diabetes mellitus type 1

Complications of diabetes mellitus type 1

Complications of poorly managed type 1 diabetes mellitus may include cardiovascular disease, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy, among others. However, cardiovascular disease as well as neuropathy may have an autoimmune basis, as well. Women with type 1 DM have a 40% higher risk of death as compared to men with type 1 DM. The life expectancy of an individual with type 1 diabetes is 11 years less for men and 13 years less for women.

Urinary tract infection

People with diabetes show an increased rate of urinary tract infection. The reason is bladder dysfunction that is more common in diabetics than in non-diabetics due to diabetic nephropathy. When present, nephropathy can cause a decrease in bladder sensation, which in turn, can cause increased residual urine, a risk factor for urinary tract infections.

Sexual dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction in diabetics is often a result of physical factors such as nerve damage and/or poor circulation, and psychological factors such as stress and/or depression caused by the demands of the disease.

Males

The most common sexual issues in diabetic males are problems with erections and ejaculation: "With diabetes, blood vessels supplying the penis’s erectile tissue can get hard and narrow, preventing the adequate blood supply needed for a firm erection. The nerve damage caused by poor blood glucose control can also cause ejaculate to go into the bladder instead of through the penis during ejaculation, called retrograde ejaculation. When this happens, semen leaves the body in the urine." Another cause for erectile dysfunction are the reactive oxygen species created as a result of the disease. Antioxidants can be used to help combat this.

Females

While there is less material on the correlation between diabetes and female sexual dysfunction than male sexual dysfunction, studies have shown there to be a significant prevalence of sexual problems in diabetic women. Common problems include reduced sensation in the genitals, dryness, difficulty/inability to orgasm, pain during sex, and decreased libido. In some cases diabetes has been shown to decrease oestrogen levels in females, which can affect vaginal lubrication.

Oral contraceptives can be taken by diabetics. Sometimes, contraceptive pills can cause a blood sugar imbalance, but this usually can be corrected by a dosage change. As with any medication, side effects should be taken into account and monitored to prevent serious complications with diabetes.Women with type 1 diabetes show a higher than normal rate of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The reason may be that the ovaries are exposed to high insulin concentrations since women with type 1 diabetes can have frequent hyperglycemia.