As reported 65 million people are diabetic in India and another 75 million people are in pre-diabetic stage. Diabetes is dangerous because of all complications occur because due to it; for instance, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, eventually requiring dialysis or a transplant. Diabetes also increases risk of heart attack and stroke by two or four times. Cardiovascular diseases are leading cause of death among people with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among younger diabetes. Unmanageable infections due to diabetes (particularly of lower extremities) are a leading cause of non-traumatic amputation.
Answers to some questions on managing Type 1 and preventing Type 2 diabetes.
1. Who are at risk of diabetes?
Major risk factor of diabetes is positive family history. Other factors may also increase the risk for diabetes such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, high blood pressure and in case of women, history of diabetes during pregnancy or delivering a baby weighing more than 4 kg.
2. Can diabetes prevented?
Once assumed inevitable in families with diabetics, it can be very well prevented from striking early in life. Evidence suggest that by undertaking a structured diabetic prevention program, including in life style changes, dietary modification and usage of diabetic medication, one can actually bring down the risk of developing new onset of diabetes by almost 85% which may translate into pushing its onset by up to 29 years approximately. Every one kg of weight lost is associated with a 16% reduction in diabetes risk.
3. Can I prevent diabetes when my risk is high?
Healthy lifestyle adjustments add a lot to reducing risk of diabetes which include healthy eating (i.e., eating vegetables and fruits, avoiding fast foods), healthy lifestyle (regular exercise, avoidance of smoking, moderation of alcohol) and control in weight. People with risk factors are required to get screened for diabetes at regular intervals, as advised by your physician.
4. Will I need to be on insulin the rest of my life? Why can’t I take pills instead?
If you have type-2 diabetes and were put on insulin, it’s likely insulin works best for you to bring your blood sugar down farther than pills could.
5. If diabetes is not managed, what problems might occur?
Diabetes can lead to number of complications if not managed well. Over time, poorly controlled diabetes causes serious damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart, gums and teeth.
6. How can I monitor the development and progression of diabetic complications?
Eye disease (Retinopathy): people with diabetes should be checked by an ophthalmologist yearly through a dilated eye examination.
Kidney diseases: Since high blood pressure closely correlates to kidney damage, regular blood pressure checks and yearly testing for presence of albumin in urine, and blood creation levels are important.
Nerve diseases: Most common symptom shown when nerves are affected due to diabetes is numbness or tingling in the feet or fingers and should be regularly reported to the doctor.
Source-Times of India