What you need to know about diabetes

Fourteenth November is the world day of struggle against diabetes. According to the International diabetic federatie IDF, half the people with diabetes do not know about their disease. To prevent complications of this insidious disease can only early diagnosis and timely treatment. How to recognize diabetes early on and whether to prevent it, said a leading expert of the Center for molecular diagnostics (CMD), Central research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor Marina Vershinina.

Why a person gets sick with diabetes

Diabetes of the first type develops mainly in childhood and young age. Cause is the destruction of special cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The disease develops rapidly, along with severe symptoms. And save lives can only replacement therapy with insulin in a medication.

Diabetes II (adult) type develops mainly in the elderly. The tissue loses its ability to respond to insulin action. Initially, the pancreas produces more and more insulin to overcome the resistance in the tissues. But then its capabilities are exhausted and insulin production decreases. Sick people often do not notice the symptoms until then, until changes in the body becomes irreversible.

How to recognize type II diabetes

Diabetes type II diabetes develops and progresses very slowly, gradually. Cases, as a rule, does not feel a sharp deterioration, time to get used to, to adapt to the changes taking place. This is the insidiousness of diabetes. It is often diagnosed only at the stage of complications, which significantly worsens the prognosis of the disease.

However, there are signs that you should pay attention to. Patients with diabetes feel weakness, fatigue, poor tolerance of daily exercise. The most specific for diabetes symptoms increased urination (the body is trying to withdraw accumulated in the blood glucose), thirst (fluid required to dilute glucose in the blood and to compensate for its loss in the urine) and increased appetite (the cells of organs and tissues are starving, not getting glucose). Typical complaints are itchy skin, the appearance of boils, the recurrence of candidiasis (thrush), accession fungal infections of the skin and nails. There is a decrease in visual acuity, the appearance of inexplicable sensations (feeling of pins and needles, tingling) in different parts of the body.

To assess their own risk of diabetes using a fill in the specialized questionnaires-questionnaires. One of the most recommended is the questionnaire FINDRISC (The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score) developed by the experts of the Finnish diabetes Association. This questionnaire is available on the Internet. To take online test on the site of our laboratory. If the results of the survey scores showed high risk, you must pass the laboratory examination.

What is this survey

Before the onset of symptoms, at the stage of minimal pathological changes, diabetes and prediabetes can be identified only on the basis of results of laboratory tests. Therefore, if the patient is in high risk of developing diabetes of the second type, you will need regular blood tests. The most important tests is the blood glucose level and glycated (glycosylated) hemoglobin.

Measurement of blood glucose at home, the meter is not suitable for diagnosis (this instrument is used for self-control in the treatment process). If the meter measured elevated levels of glucose, this result must be rechecked in the lab.

In the early stages of carbohydrate metabolism level of tomakomai glucose often remains in the normal range. Therefore, it is also recommended to investigate the level of glycated hemoglobin (biochemical compound that is formed by prolonged exposure of hemoglobin of red blood cells with glucose). Erythrocytes (red blood cells) live in the bloodstream for about 3 months, so the increased level of glycated hemoglobin indicates that the glucose level in serum was consistently elevated, at least for several weeks.

The endocrinologist puts the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes on the results of re-testing. The criteria of diagnosis take into account the results of the load test with glucose (Oral test glucose tolerance). The patient examine the level of glucose in the blood sample taken on an empty stomach. Then give to drink a saturated solution of glucose, and re-measure glucose in the serum after 2 hours, during this time, the glucose level should decrease less than 7.8 mmol/l But this test can only be performed under the supervision of a physician.

What is prediabetes

Prediabetes is an early violation of carbohydrate metabolism that can be detected by laboratory methods (an oral glucose tolerance test). Glucose in the blood of such patients may remain high 2 hours after drinking the portions of glucose in food or moderately high on an empty stomach.

The condition of prediabetes is reversible, this is not a disease. But only with the active lifestyle changes: a revision of dietary habits (reduced calorie, reduced fat and simple carbohydrates), weight loss (the target value of 5-7% of baseline), regular physical activity (walking, swimming, Biking for at least 150 minutes a week). By the decision of the doctor may be prescription drugs.

Who is at risk

The risk of developing diabetes of the second type at any age increases overweight. Particularly high risk in people prone to obesity in the abdominal type (fat accumulation predominantly in the abdomen). According to the national recommendations, the Prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases, more than 80% of cases of type 2 diabetes associated with overweight and obesity.

Risk factors patients with normal weight are heredity, ethnicity, age, high blood pressure, bad habits, low physical activity, and insufficient consumption of foods rich in dietary fiber. However, high intake of sugar the risk of developing diabetes is directly linked: increased level of blood glucose in patients with diabetes is not the cause but the consequence.

The disease is not inherited, but people whose relatives have diabetes, your risk is higher than in the General population. To interfere with the genetic program can healthy lifestyle, balanced diet and sufficient physical activity.

Is it necessary to treat diabetes

To treat diabetes must. With the help of modern medicines it is possible to achieve very effective control over the metabolism of carbohydrates. The better efficient mechanism of artificial regulation of the glucose level, the lower the risk of complications. One diet is not enough the root of the problem lies in the hormone insulin, which is the main regulator of blood sugar levels. And the appointment of a special diet has only one goal to reduce the burden on the insular apparatus. Dietary excesses in diabetes impermissible, but also limitations in food intake do not solve the problem. Starvation and in diabetes in General is absolutely contraindicated.

Patients with the first type of diabetes is vital insulin injections. Adult patients with type II diabetes, usually prescribed tablet medication that helps to reduce blood sugar levels. These drugs stimulate the pancreas to develop extra insulin to overcome the resistance (resistance) of the tissues or increase the tissue sensitivity to insulin. But in those cases, when to take control of the carbohydrate metabolism fails, insulin injections are prescribed, and diabetes of the second type.

Adequately selected treatment and careful observance of the prescribed, regular monitoring of laboratory parameters allow you to live a full life for many years.

Irina Reznik