Diabetes Quick Summary — from its Development to Treatment

Published in

The Barley Bread

3 min readApr 26, 2023

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 77 million Indians over 18 years suffer from Type II diabetes, and 25 million people are prediabetic. 50% individuals are unaware of their status, which increases their risk of undetected complications, such as stroke, heart attack, reduced blood flow, increased nerve damage, infection, ulcers, and limb amputation. Retinopathy and kidney damage are other concomitant conditions.

Causes, Risk Factors, and Types

Diabetes develops when the body cannot produce or utilize blood-sugar-regulating hormone, insulin. Raised blood sugar leads to hyperglycaemia, damage to organs, blood vessels, and nerves. Environment, genes, lifestyle, substance use, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and pollution contribute towards diabetes development. Obesity and visceral fat raise diabetes risk. Type II diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, which also affects insulin production by pancreas. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune condition affecting pancreatic beta cells.

Diabetes Prevention and Treatment

Diabetes can be managed by controlling lifestyle factors, specifically, weight management and healthy eating. Increasing physical activity with resistance exercise, aerobic exercise, and limiting sedentary lifestyle help to lose weight. Healthy diet choices include healthy fats and plant-based foods.

Diabetes may be diagnosed early through regular screening. Type I, Type II, and prediabetes is detected using random blood sugar test, glycated hemoglobin test (A1C), oral glucose tolerance test, and fasting blood sugar test. Physical activity and healthy eating are recommended lifestyle changes. Individuals are advised to monitor blood sugar levels, continue insulin therapy, take prescribed oral drugs, treat obesity with bariatric surgery, or undergo organ transplant (pancreas, islet, or kidney replacement). Gestational diabetes or prediabetes are treated using drugs.

When to See a Physician

A primary care physician is the first contact point in an adverse event and may require information related to temperature, blood glucose levels, ketone levels, and urine analysis. Physicians also review food and drink intake and medications prescribed. Children managing their diabetes may need parental support in an emergency. Diarrhea, vomiting, and changes or inability to eat or drink are warning signs. Medical attention is required when an injury occurs, prior to surgery, or when a new medication is prescribed.

Major adverse events include diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia. In hyperglycemia, blood sugar levels may remain high throughout the day or at the same time everyday, or lead to excessive drinking or urinating. In diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), the body breaks down fat, and not glucose for energy, producing ketones, and raising blood acidity. Ketoacidosis results in abdominal pain, confusion, drowsiness, rapid and deep breathing, vomiting, and nausea. In hypoglycemia, blood glucose lowers abnormally, causing weakness, hunger, drowsiness, fainting, dizziness, confusion, shakiness, or seizures.

Common Diabetes Complications

Multi-organ complications account for significant increase in diabetes morbidity and mortality, reduced life expectancy, and increase in healthcare system burden. Overtime, complications develop, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), heart disease, and problems with nerves, feet, mental health, hearing, vision, and oral health. Heart disease increases risk of stroke and coronary artery disease, raises LDL cholesterol and plague formation, adversely affects cardiac blood vessels and nerves, and damages kidney nephrons and blood vessels. Diabetic neuropathy causes mild numbness or pain. Autonomic, peripheral, focal, or proximal nerve damage are common conditions. Problems with hearing, vision, and oral health may occur, and anxiety, stress, and depression may worsen diabetes. Distress from diabetes management may worsen the condition.

In conclusion, diabetes is a lifestyle disease and the primary resolution is prudent diet and lifestyle choices. Preventing, detecting and treating diabetes with the involvement of a primary care physician can guarantee improved health outcomes in the long run.