Microvascular Complications Flashcards
KEY SITES OF MICROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS: (3)
- Retinal arteries (eyes)
- Glomerular arterioles (kidneys)
- Vasa nervorum (tiny blood vessels that supply the nerves)
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE RISK/SEVERITY OF COMPLICATIONS: (5)
- Severity of hyperglycaemia
- Hypertension
- Genetics
- Hyperglycaemic memory
- Tissue damage through originally reversible and later irreversible alterations in protein
what is hyperglycaemic memory
How well controlled your glucose has been from the onset of the diabetes- it does not matter if you now have good control, you will still see repercussions if you had poor control at the start
What is the main cause of blindness in people of working age
Diabetic retinopathy
What is 1st stage diabetic retinopathy known as:
Background retinopathy
What is 2nd stage diabetic retinopathy known as:
pre-proliferative diabetic retinopathy
What is 3rd stage diabetic retinopathy known as
proliferative retinopathy
Are microvascular complications reversible?
To an extent, then you’ve fucked it
What happens in 1st stage diabetic retinopathy (3)
- Hard exudates (cheese coloured lipid deposits)
- Microaneurysms (‘dots’)
- Blot haemorrhages
What happens in 2nd stage diabetic retinopathy (3)
- Cotton wool spots, also called soft exudates
- Represent retinal ischaemia
What happens in 3rd stage diabetic retinopathy (3)
- Visible new vessels on disk or elsewhere in retina
What is maculopathy
a specific type of retinopathy that effects the macula, involved in colour vision
What does the macula do
involved in colour vision
What happens in maculopathy (3)
- Hard exudates near the macula
- Same as retinopathy but located around macula
- Can threaten direct vision
MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC BACKGROUND RETINOPATHY (3)
- Improve glucose control
- Warn patient that warnings signs are present
- Retinal screening annually
MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC PRE-PROLIFERATIVE RETINOPATHY
- Treatment= PAN RETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION- burn off parts of the retina using lasers- prevents new vessels forming
What does PRE-PROLIFERATIVE RETINOPATHY show
Suggests general ischaemia
What happens if nothing is done in PRE-PROLIFERATIVE RETINOPATHY
New vessels will grow due to ischaemia
MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC PRE-PROLIFERATIVE RETINOPATHY
- URGENT pan retinal photocoagulation
MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC MACULOPATHY
Needs only a GRID of photocoagulation- not PAN retinal, just on the macula