It is a well-known fact that diabetes has ill effects on the heart and kidney of a person. But is the respiratory system free from the effect of diabetes? The most important organ of our body that we use every second during our lifetime - our lungs, can be affected by diabetes. A person affected by diabetes may have certain lung conditions that impact its functioning and how well he/she breathes.
“A person affected by diabetes may have certain lung conditions that impact its functioning and how well he/she breathes.”
Lung Condition
Research conducted on diabetic patients have revealed that they are vulnerable to respiratory troubles such as asthma, COPD, pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis. They are more likely to develop infection than non-diabetics and the risk is as high as twenty to fifty per cent more than non- diabetics.
Lung Function
People with type 2 diabetes suffer decreased lung function, which is a measure of how well a person can breathe. The lung function also measures how well it delivers oxygen to other parts of the body. People affected by diabetes have a lower lung volume than those without.
A reduced lung function aggravates respiratory problems if the person is obese or has other lung disorders. Smoking also adds to the problem. But not every diabetes affected person, will develop lung disorders even though some studies have shown a correlation between increasing blood glucose level and decreased lung function. So, the more your blood sugar is out of control, the worse your lung function may be.
While some researchers are still trying to understand the co-relation between diabetes and lung disorders, it is believed to be caused by lung inflammation. A person afflicted with diabetes has a higher level of inflammatory molecules such as C-reactive protein and this is likely to impact lung health. Obesity is linked to poorer lung function and it is supported by the fact that large numbers of obese people have reduced lung function and a high rate of diabetes compared to people with normal BMI.
Smoking must be completely avoided to prevent further worsening of the complications of diabetes. Smoking harms those with diabetes more than anything else. Apart from being hazardous for the lungs, smoking reduces blood flow in the arteries and damages the nerves. To keep the blood glucose level under control and improve insulin resistance, diabetic patients should say ‘no’ to smoking. Visit Apollo Sugar to know more about the correlation between diabetes and your lung health.
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