Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. This type of diabetes can be prevented from becoming overt diabetes with diet and exercise. A final type called secondary diabetes can be caused by certain drugs and chemicals or diseases. Only a qualified physician can properly diagnose the cause of individual signs and symptoms . People who are overweight, have diabetic relatives, and are over age 40.
Women are the most likely to become diabetics.
Inheritance, or having a diabetic relative, is linked to individuals with Type II diabetes more often than for those with Type I diabetes. Short-term complications are those that develop in a matter of minutes or days and are completely reversible if caught in time and treated. Long-term complications develop gradually over years and decades. Long-term complications of diabetes include damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nervous system. Due to problems with blood circulation and the nervous system, leg and foot complications can develop.