How Type 2 Diabetes Is Diagnosed
The 14th of November is World Diabetes Day. According to the International Diabetes Federation, half of all diabetics are completely uninformed of their condition. At the same time, only early diagnosis and timely treatment can prevent complications of this insidious disease. The expert explains how to recognize diabetes at an early stage and whether it can be prevented.
World Diabetes Day is observed on November 14th around the world. Half of the diabetics are uninformed of their condition, according to the International Diabetes Federation. At the same time, the only way to prevent the repercussions of this sneaky disease is to catch it early and treat it.
Why does someone get diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes mellitus mainly develops in childhood and at a young age. The cause is the loss of particular insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The disease develops rapidly, with severe symptoms. And only replacement therapy - insulin in the form of a drug - can save lives.
The elderly are most affected by the second kind of diabetes (adult diabetes). Tissues lose their ability to respond to insulin. At initially, the pancreas generates more and more insulin to overcome tissue resistance. But then the possibilities are exhausted and the production of insulin decreases. People who are sick often don't notice the symptoms until the changes in the body become irreversible.
How to recognize type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops and progresses quite slowly, gradually. The sick person, as a rule, does not feel a sharp deterioration in well-being, has time to get used to it, to adapt to the changes that are taking place. This is the insidiousness of diabetes. Often it is diagnosed only at the stage of the development of complications, which significantly worsens the prognosis of the disease.
Typical complaints are itching of the skin, the appearance of boils, aggravation of candidiasis (thrush), the addition of fungal infections of the skin and nails. There is a decrease in visual acuity, the appearance of inexplicable sensations (feeling of "creeping crawling",
By filling out specific questionnaires, you can assess your individual risk of getting diabetes mellitus. The FINDRISC (The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score) questionnaire, produced by the Finnish Diabetes Association, is one of the most often recommended.
This questionnaire is available on the Internet. You can do online tests on our laboratory's website. If according to the results of the questionnaire, the points scored indicate an increased risk, laboratory testing is required.
What is the purpose of this study?
Measuring blood glucose with a household glucose meter is not suitable for diagnosis (this device is used for self-monitoring during treatment). If the meter measures an elevated glucose level, this result should be double-checked in the laboratory.
The level of "lean" glucose often remains within normal limits in the early stages of poor carbohydrate metabolism. As a result, checking the level of glycated hemoglobin is also advised (a biochemical compound formed during prolonged interaction of erythrocyte hemoglobin with glucose). Because erythrocytes (red blood cells) only exist in the bloodstream for around three months, an increased glycated hemoglobin level can be dangerous.
An endocrinologist only diagnoses diabetes mellitus and prediabetes after repeated testing. The diagnostic criteria take into account the results of a glucose exercise test ("Oral Glucose Tolerance Test").
A fasting blood sample is used to test the patient's glucose levels. They then give the patient a saturated glucose solution to drink and take another blood sample after 2 hours, during which time the glucose level should have decreased by less than 7.8 mmol/L. This test, however, can only be carried out under physician supervision.
What is prediabetes
Prediabetes is an early disorder of carbohydrate metabolism that can be detected by laboratory methods (oral glucose tolerance test). Blood glucose in such patients may remain elevated 2 hours after eating a serving of glucose in food, or it rises moderately on an empty stomach.
Prediabetes is reversible; it is not yet a disease. But only under the condition of active lifestyle changes: revision of dietary habits (reduction of calories, restriction of fats and simple carbohydrates), weight loss (target value - 5-7% of the initial value), regular physical activity (walking, swimming, cycling - at least 150 minutes per week). Medications can be prescribed by the doctor.
Who is at risk
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes at any age increases with being overweight. The risk is especially high in people who are prone to obesity due to the abdominal type (accumulation of adipose tissue, mainly in the abdomen).
According to the national recommendations "Prevention of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases", more than 80% of cases of type 2 diabetes are associated with overweight and obesity.
Risk factors for normal-weight patients include heredity, ethnicity, age, high blood pressure, bad habits, low physical activity, and insufficient consumption of foods rich in dietary fiber.
However, the risk of diabetes is directly related to high sugar consumption: high blood glucose levels in diabetics are not a cause, but a consequence.
The disease is not hereditary, but people with relatives with diabetes have a higher risk of developing the disease than the general population. A healthy lifestyle, balanced diet, and sufficient physical activity can hinder the implementation of the genetic program.
It is imperative to treat diabetes. With the help of modern drugs, it is possible to achieve very effective control of carbohydrate metabolism. The better the mechanism of artificial regulation of glucose levels is detected, the lower the risk of complications.
Diet alone is not enough - the root of the problem lies in the hormone insulin, the main regulator of blood sugar. And the appointment of a special diet has only one purpose - to reduce the load on the insular apparatus.
Food surpluses in diabetes are unacceptable, but limiting food intake does not solve the problem. And fasting in diabetes is generally categorically contraindicated.
Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus require insulin injections. Adult patients with type 2 diabetes are usually prescribed pills to lower blood sugar levels. These drugs stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin to overcome tissue resistance (resistance) or increase tissue sensitivity to insulin.
But in those cases where it is not possible to control the indicators of carbohydrate metabolism, insulin injections are also prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
Appropriately selected treatment and careful observance of the doctor's prescriptions, regular monitoring of laboratory parameters will allow you to live a full life for many years.
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