ABSTRACT
The potential for people with diabetes to develop specific chronic complications adds substantially to the burden of this disorder. Diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes, especially in those with poor glycaemic control, may lead to visual impairment or even blindness. End-stage renal disease due to diabetic nephropathy may necessitate renal replacement therapy or transplantation and is a leading cause of death in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetic neuropathy is common in diabetes and may result in peripheral nerve dysfunction with unpleasant symptoms and an inherent risk of foot disease, while a myriad of symptoms may be associated with autonomic nerve dysfunction. While not specific to diabetes, hypertension and major vascular disease are common accompaniments to diabetes, with the latter being a major cause of death in diabetic patients. Care of patients with diabetic foot disease secondary to neuropathy, skin changes and peripheral vascular disease consumes a huge proportion of healthcare budgets worldwide. Other complications of diabetes include erectile dysfunction, non-alcoholic steatohepatosis and skin abnormalities such as necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum. Diabetes is also associated with other more rare manifestations as described in this chapter.
