Why is diabetes considered a silent killer?

Diabetes mellitus (also known as diabetes) is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world and is increasing rapidly and becoming a public health problem that needs special attention.

Currently, diabetes is divided into 5 different types and the number of people with type 2 diabetes accounts for about 80%.

However, the patient's symptoms are often very silent. In many cases, when clinical manifestations are obvious, the incubation period has lasted 8-9 years.

This means that many patients, while undetected, may have complications due to high blood sugar levels over a long period of time (about 5 years) without timely intervention.

Currently, Vietnam has about 7-8 million adults with diabetes. Notably, nearly 2/3 of patients are not detected early and only know when they go for a health check or have complications.

In addition, the trend of type 2 diabetes is getting younger in our country as well as in the world. The reason is that the rate of obesity in children is increasing, and Vietnam has the highest rate of obesity increase in Southeast Asia, leading to the consequence of diabetes appearing earlier.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Chronic hyperglycemia over a long period of time causes disturbances in carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism, causing damage to various organs, especially the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

Classification of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (due to destruction of pancreatic beta cells, leading to absolute insulin deficiency).

Type 2 diabetes (due to progressive reduction in pancreatic beta cell function on the basis of insulin resistance).

Gestational diabetes (diabetes diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and without evidence of previous type 1 or type 2 diabetes).

In addition, diabetes due to other causes, such as: neonatal diabetes or diabetes due to drug and chemical use such as glucocorticoid use, HIV/AIDS treatment or after tissue transplantation.

Warning signs of diabetes

Most early symptoms of diabetes are higher than normal blood glucose levels. Warning signs of diabetes can range from very mild to no symptoms at all. Some people do not realize they have severe disease or complications until they are diagnosed.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes

The disease progresses very quickly, symptoms often occur quickly within a few days or weeks. Often there is a typical 4-multiple syndrome.

Hunger and fatigue: Your body converts the food you eat into glucose, which your cells use for energy. But your cells need insulin to absorb glucose. If your body doesn't make enough or any insulin, or if your cells are resistant to the insulin your body makes, glucose can't get into them and you don't have energy. This can make you hungrier and more tired than usual.

Urinating more often and being thirstier : A normal person usually has to urinate four to seven times in 24 hours, but people with diabetes due to high blood sugar can go many times more than usual.

Why does this happen? Normally your body reabsorbs glucose as it passes through your kidneys. But when diabetes pushes your blood sugar up, your kidneys may not be able to take it all back. This causes your body to make more urine and lose water. The result: You’ll have to go more often. You may also go more. Because you’re peeing so much, you may be very thirsty. When you drink more, you’ll also pee more.

Dry mouth, increased thirst, and itchy skin: Because your body is using fluids to pee, there is less moisture available for other things. You may become dehydrated, and your mouth may feel dry. Dry skin can make you itchy.

Significant weight loss: Although the patient eats a lot, he loses a lot of weight.

Decreased vision: Changes in fluid levels in your body can cause the lenses in your eyes to swell, leading to blurred vision and decreased vision.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, the patient's condition progresses very quietly, even without any symptoms, without the dramatic symptoms of type 1 diabetes.

You may be diagnosed with diabetes because you went to the doctor for another condition, had a blood glucose test, or you may be diagnosed because of other complications, such as an infection that doesn’t heal well. In general, people may never experience obvious warning signs. Diabetes can develop over many years, and the warning signs can be difficult to diagnose. Some signs include:

Yeast infections: Both men and women with diabetes can get these. Yeast feeds on glucose, so having plenty around makes it thrive.

Infections can develop in any warm, moist fold of skin, including between the fingers and toes, under the breasts, and in or around the genitals.

Slow-healing sores or cuts: Over time, high blood sugar can affect your blood flow and cause nerve damage that makes it difficult for your body to heal wounds. Pain or numbness in your feet or legs. This is another result of nerve damage.

Symptoms of gestational diabetes

High blood sugar during pregnancy usually has no symptoms. You may feel a little thirstier than usual or have to urinate more often. It is usually detected mainly during a 3-sample glucose test at 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Who is at risk for diabetes?

Diabetes can occur in anyone and for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. You may experience one or more warning signs related to diabetes. If you suspect, go to medical facilities, hospitals to be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.

If you suspect you may have diabetes, you should see a doctor immediately. During the visit, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, whether anyone in your family has diabetes, the medications you take, and any allergies you have. Based on the information you provide, your doctor will decide to do some tests.

Some tests to diagnose diabetes:

HbA1C: This test shows your average blood sugar level over the past 2 or 3 months. This test does not require you to fast or drink anything.

Fasting plasma glucose (FPG): You will need to fast for at least 8 hours before this test.

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): This test takes 2 to 3 hours. Your blood sugar level is checked initially and then repeated at 2-hour intervals after drinking a specific sweet beverage.

Random plasma glucose test: You can have this test at any time and does not require fasting.

Treatment of diabetes

There are many methods of treating diabetes today. Among them, adjusting daily diet, establishing a reasonable exercise regimen and regularly monitoring the disease are the most important things to do regardless of the type of disease.

In type 1 diabetes, patients are prescribed insulin for the rest of their lives because the body is no longer able to produce insulin on its own.

In type 2 diabetes, if the patient cannot improve the condition of increased blood sugar with daily diet and exercise, the patient can use oral or injectable diabetes medication to stabilize blood sugar.

To prevent the disease from progressing, diabetic patients need to have a plan to monitor carbohydrate intake, as well as limit the use of processed foods, low in fiber; should eat lots of green vegetables, foods with a low glycemic index.

It should be noted that diabetes can change and progress differently over time, so the disease needs to be examined and accurately assessed for its current condition in order to have an appropriate and effective treatment plan. Therefore, patients need to have regular check-ups and strictly follow the doctor's treatment instructions./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/vi-sao-benh-dai-thao-duong-duoc-coi-la-ke-giet-nguoi-tham-lang-post1049586.vnp