A diabetic prognosis will vary from person to person because the complications of diabetes are far less severe as well as less common among people with well controlled blood sugar levels. By keeping blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure levels under control, exercising regularly, and avoiding harmful activities such as drinking or smoking, the quality and duration of life can be very much improved. On the other hand, factors likesmoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, high LDL cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure levels all would make a diabetic prognosis worse.
Currently, diabetes is a leading cause of death in all industrialized nations, according to eMedicineHealth.com. Furthermore, the risk of premature death for a diabetic is twice that of people who do not have the disease. Other facts concerning the diabetic prognosis of type 1 and type 2 are listed below:
Type 1 Diabetic Prognosis
- Fifteen percent of people with type 1 diabetes die before the age of 40. This is 20 times higher than non-diabetics within the same age group.
- Ketoacidosis, kidney failure, and heart disease are the most common causes of death in type 1 diabetes.
- Established complications can be improved by good control of blood sugar levels.
Type 2 Diabetic Prognosis
- The life expectancy of type 2 diabetics in their 40s will decrease by 5-10 years because of the disease.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for those with type 2 diabetes.
- Keeping good blood pressure and cholesterol control is essential to preventing, improving, and slowing the progression of type 2 diabetic complications.
Diabetic Neuropathy Prognosis
Currently, 60% to 70% of people with diabetes have a mild or severe form of diabetic nerve damage. It is also one of the leading causes of amputation in the world. A diabetic neuropathy prognosis depends on the diabetic’s management of the disease. Diabetic neuropathy has been known to improve with proper treatment, but the recovery is slow.
One problem with forming a prognosis for diabetic neuropathy is that the condition can spin out of control quite quickly. For example, a diabetic with neuropathy has an increased risk of injury due to the loss of sensation in their feet and hands.Small infections can also progress into ulcerations and an amputation may be required. Also, nerve damage may spread into other internal organs, having serious and possibly deadly effects. All these factors make it difficult to form a diabetic prognosis for neuropathy, however.
Diabetic Coma Prognosis
ShareCare.com states that the diabetic prognosis of a diabetic coma depends on how long the brain was deprived of sugar. The cause of the coma and the ability of the physician to correct the problem are key factors as well. It is known that the prognosis of patients who have a coma because of ketoacidosis has improved vastly over the years. However, the mortality rate is still at about 60%.
One study was conducted on the diabetic prognosis of diabetic comas reveals a little about the subject. The results of the study were that early mortality occurred in 14% for those in a ketotic coma, and 29% in non-ketotic cases, according to the National Institute of Health. This study on the prognosis of diabetic comas cited here is listed on the PubMed website, for those who wish to inquire more on the subject.