Accessibility ToolsHow Diabetes Can Affect Your Body
- Heart and circulation - high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
- Kidneys - the kidneys filter waste from the blood, but diabetes can damage these tiny filters over time, leading to kidney disease.
- Eyes - diabetes can affect the small blood vessels in the eyes, causing problems like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, or cataracts. This can lead to vision loss if not treated.
- Nerves - high blood sugar can damage nerves, causing numbness, tingling, or pain (often in the hands and feet). This is called diabetic neuropathy.
- Feet - nerve damage and poor circulation can make foot problems more likely, and small cuts may take longer to heal. This is why foot care is especially important for people with diabetes.
- Gums and teeth - diabetes can increase the risk of gum disease and other dental problems.
- Mental health - living with diabetes can increase the risk of stress, anxiety, depression, and diabetes “burnout.”
- Sexual health - diabetes can affect blood flow and nerves, sometimes leading to erectile dysfunction in men or reduced sexual desire and arousal difficulties in both men and women.
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycaemia)
Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia or a hypo) is usually where your blood sugar (glucose) is below 4mmol/L. It needs to be treated quickly to stop it getting worse, but you can usually treat it yourself.
Low blood sugar usually affects people with diabetes who take insulin or some other diabetes medicines. It's rare in people without diabetes.
Symptoms of low blood sugar can include:
- Feeling hungry
- Feeling dizzy
- Feeling anxious or irritable
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Tingling lips
- Heart palpitations
- Feeling tired or weak
- Changes in your vision such as blurred vision
- Feeling confused
If you have severe low blood sugar you may:
- Have a seizure or fit
- Become unconscious
If you have diabetes and get symptoms of low blood sugar (a hypo) or your blood sugar is below 4mmol/L:
- Eat or drink something that will raise your blood sugar quickly, such as a small glass of fruit juice or sugary fizzy drink, 5 glucose or dextrose tablets, 4 large jelly babies, or 2 tubes of glucose gel.
- Check your blood sugar after 10 to 15 minutes.
- If your blood sugar is still below 4mmol/L, have another sugary drink or snack, and check again after 10 minutes.
- Once your symptoms have improved and your blood sugar is above 4mmol/L, eat something that will keep your blood sugar up for longer, such as some biscuits, a sandwich, or your next meal if it's due.
If someone has very low blood sugar (a severe hypo) and becomes unconscious:
- Do not give them any food or drink as they will not be able to swallow safely.
- Put them into the recovery position.
- Give them a glucagon injection straight away, if one is available and you know how to use it.
- If they start to recover within 10 minutes of having a glucagon injection and can swallow safely, give them some food or drink that will raise their blood sugar.
- Stay with them until they're fully recovered.
Please visit your GP or call NHS 111 if you have any of the following:
- You have diabetes and you get low blood sugar (hypos) often, you've had severe hypos or you have had hypos at night
- You have diabetes and you do not always recognise the symptoms when you have low blood sugar
- You do not have diabetes, and you get symptoms of low blood sugar such as shaking, sweating, a fast heartbeat and feeling confused
You think someone has very low blood sugar and they're not responding normally or they're unconscious, and:
- A glucagon injection is not available or you do not know how to use it
- You have given a glucagon injection and they have not recovered within 10 minutes
- They have been drinking alcohol
High Blood Sugar (Hyerglycaemia)
High blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) is where the level of sugar in your blood is too high. It mainly affects people with diabetes and can be serious if not treated.
If you have diabetes, you can find out if your blood sugar level is high by having a blood sugar (blood glucose) finger-prick test.
You may have regular tests by your care team or GP surgery, or you may have tests you can do at home.
Symptoms of high blood sugar usually come on gradually and may only start when your blood sugar level gets very high.
- Feeling very thirsty
- Peeing a lot
- Feeling weak or tired
- Blurred vision
- Losing weight
Causes of high blood sugar
Common causes of high blood sugar in people with diabetes include:
- Being unwell
- Infections
- Feeling stressed
- Eating too much sugary or starchy food
- Being less active than usual
- Missing doses of diabetes medicine
You can also get high blood sugar if your diabetes medicine is not working well, you're taking certain medicines (such as steroids) or you recently had an operation.
- Take any diabetes medicine you've been prescribed, as advised by your doctor or care team
- Avoid eating too much sugary or starchy food
- Try to find ways to manage stress
- Exercise regularly
- Lose weight if you're overweight
- Follow advice from your doctor or care team about what to do while you're ill
Please visit your GP or call NHS 111 if you have any of the following:
- You are tried to lower your blood sugar but your blood sugar level is still high or you still have symptoms
- You have symptoms of high blood sugar and you have not been diagnosed with diabetes
- You are feeling sick, being sick or have stomach pain
- You're breathing more quickly than usual or your heart is beating faster than usual
- You feel drowsy or are struggling to stay awake
- Your breath has a fruity smell (like pear drop sweets)
- You feel confused or have difficulty concentrating
- You have a high level of ketones in your blood or pee
Diabetes UK offer a dedicated diabetes helpline for all people with diabetes, their family or friends, and people who are worried they might be at risk.
Call the confidential helpline to talk to their highly trained advisors who have counselling skills and an extensive knowledge of diabetes. They can provide information about the condition, take the time to talk things through and explore emotional, social, psychological or practical difficulties.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Call: 0345 123 2399, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
Email: helpline@diabetes.org.uk
| NHS | High blood pressure - NHS |
| Telford & Wrekin Council | Blood pressure checks in Telford and Wrekin |
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| Shropshire Council | Community blood pressure checks | Shropshire Council |
| Qube | Shropshire Community Blood Pressure Checks Project | |
| British Heart Foundation | Blood Pressure Award Programme – British Heart Foundation - BHF |
