Diabetes can affect many major organs in your body, which can lead to an array of serious complications when left untreated. These medical problems include:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD), or heart disease, including peripheral artery disease (PAD) and stroke
• Renal (kidney) disease
• Unhealthy cholesterol levels, which can lead to atherosclerosis
• Metabolic syndrome
• Blindness
• Nerve disease
• Limb amputations
   

The good news is that diabetes is treatable and often preventable. Individuals with diabetes may avoid or delay other health complications by:

• Working with their health care team to manage the disease, which may include the use of medications
• Knowing their critical health numbers
• Choosing a healthy lifestyle