Can diabetes affect lungs? Doctor explains the long-term impact

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects blood sugar levels in the body. However, it also affects other organs, including the lungs. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Shehla Shaikh, Consultant Endocrinologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, said, “Diabetes is known to reduce lung in force vital capacity, lung compliance, peripheral airway function, and pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. This implies that the volume of the lungs reduces, thus increasing the total number of restrictive conditions. In addition, diabetics subjects’ respiratory muscles become dysfunctional with the breath-holding becoming more tiresome as their lungs cannot open fully,” Also read | Diabetes: How deep breathing can help control blood sugar, improve health

What is diabetes neuropathy?

Dr. Shehla Shaikh explained, “Diabetes neuropathy is a very common complication that normally affects the autonomic nervous system and therefore adjusts the diameter of the airways to reduce the pulmonary functions. It typically makes the caliber of the airways larger, so poor airflow occurs when it becomes harder and harder for the patient to clear lung irritants or pathogens.” Also read | Diabetes: Tips to survive winter pollution for Diabetic and Asthma patients

Diabetes makes lungs prone to infections

Diabetes can also elevate the risk of pulmonary infections. Explaining the effects, the endocrinologist added, “With high glucose concentrations in airway surface liquid combined with defective immune responses to infection, the possibility of pulmonary infection increases even further in diabetic subjects. The presence of higher levels of oxidative stress and a failed mucociliary clearance system does not help- infections can readily progress all the way down to pneumonia.”

The risk of tuberculosis:

“Perhaps the biggest reason to be alarmed over the diabetically impaired lung is its susceptibility to tuberculosis. Basically, diabetic patients tend to fall victim to more cases of tuberculosis as the reason behind this factor lies in the fact that lowered immunological power often corresponds to other secondary complications, particularly those involving the lungs. Contributing to that are long admissions which have a potential towards more rehospitalisation due to the prolonged periods,” the doctor added. Also read | Diabetes could lead to coma or death—Are you at risk?

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.