Diabetes and Venous Disease: How Are They Connected?

A common question one would ask is whether diabetes and venous disease are linked. It is easy to believe so because both these illnesses share several common risk factors. While there is no direct link established between diabetes and venous disease, over time, chronic diabetes can wreak havoc in the blood vessels, making diabetic patients more susceptible to venous disease. Therefore, while diabetes and venous disease are not responsible for directly causing each other, they can be potentially dangerous when they occur together. 

Diabetes and Blood Circulation

To understand this complicated link between diabetes and vein health, it is imperative to understand how diabetes impacts the blood vessels and blood circulation. Firstly, let us go over blood clots. Blood clots can be described as a build-up of red blood cells in one’s veins, to the point where it remains as a semisolid state that blocks the further flow of blood. They are most common in the legs, as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Superficial Venous Thrombosis (SVT).

Both clots are detrimental to your health in several ways. The most lethal threat from a blood clot is a critical medical situation called pulmonary embolism. This stems from a clot breaking free and traveling to the lungs, which can restrict the oxygen flow.

A key symptom of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is high blood sugar, which results when the body produces insufficient insulin – the hormone that processes food into sugar or glucose. This can gradually lead to glucose building up in the bloodstream, causing damage to the blood vessels, nerves, and organs. The blood flow in the leg arteries is significantly reduced, potentially causing further nerve damage, swelling, and ulcers in the feet.

Diabetes and Venous Disease

The above complications arising from diabetes indirectly increase venous disease symptoms such as swelling and pain in the legs, varicose veins, blood clots, spider veins, skin changes, etc. Likewise, as vein health symptoms worsen, the diabetes symptoms will simultaneously worsen, making both these conditions quite dangerous when they occur together. Some of the common risk factors of venous insufficiency and diabetes include unhealthy lifestyle habits, weight gain or obesity, smoking, unhealthy diet, family history of diabetes, pregnancy, sedentary lifestyle, and aging. The risk of forming clots is higher if you have a family history of DVT/SVT and venous disease. In this case, seek proper treatment from your vein doctor to reduce your DVT/SVT and pulmonary embolism risks.

How to Lower Your Risk of Diabetes and Venous Disease

There are several effective ways to lower diabetes and venous insufficiency risk. Even if you are suffering from either of the two conditions, taking simple measures can keep the symptoms in control. The most crucial measure is to monitor your blood sugar and to ensure it is always within a safe level by following a healthy lifestyle.
Additionally, taking the following measures can lower your risk:

• Control your body weight.
• Regular exercise or moderate physical activity will keep you healthy and strengthen your leg muscles.
• Avoid smoking. 
• Visit your physician or vein specialist regularly. Follow up with all appointments and instructions given to you by your physician. 
• If your job or daily chores require you to stand a lot, wear compression socks to boost circulation. 
• Inspect your legs and feet often and watch out for vein disease indicators like swollen veins, skin discoloration, sores, ulcers, etc.

If you are looking for the most trustworthy and renowned vein specialists in Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Cummings, and Roswell, contact our experts at the North Atlanta Vascular and Vein Center. Our vein specialists possess all the required skills and expertise to ensure you get the most effective treatment options. We are one of the most reliable clinics for most “preferred vein clinic near me” searches on the web.