Screening For and Treating Long-Term Diabetes Problems

    People with diabetes should have regular exams to help find and treat long-term diabetes problems. All long-term diabetes problems have effective treatments.

   The long-term problems that occur in people with diabetes can usually be prevented or delayed if they are found and treated at an early stage. For example, kidney disease can be slowed or prevented by controlling high blood pressure and high blood sugar and by taking special medicines. Severe eye disease can be managed by laser surgery. Problems of circulation in the legs, heart or brain can be improved by treatments that may or may not involve surgery. These examples show that it is important for people with diabetes to be treated for diabetes problems at any stage of the disease to prevent the problems from getting worse.

   All people with diabetes should be examined by their health care providers for the problems that can occur with diabetes. Regular exams by a health care provider can help find problems at a time when they can be treated and managed successfully. You should have your feet, eyes and kidneys checked on a regular basis. Other tests may also be needed.  

  You should work with your health care provider to make healthy lifestyle choices to help control and manage your diabetes. Eating to control blood sugar and blood fat levels, taking prescribed diabetes medicine, getting regular physical activity, and getting regular foot and eye exams are all important for good health and to help control diabetes.