Diabetes is such a well-known and normalized disease—practically everyone who has it can live with it and lead a normal life—that sometimes there are people who forget about its severity and the complications it can have. There are different types of diabetes. The most common are type 1 and type 2. Each one appears for different causes, and their prognosis is not the same. Therefore, their respective treatments are different.
There are people with diabetes who do not have to take insulin, since other drugs or measures can control this condition. The advanced practice diabetes nurse at the Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Montserrat Granados, explains that people who have type 2 diabetes or who only have to take pills usually think that their situation is not that serious. However, “this diabetes interacts with other pathologies such as hypertension, high cholesterol, overweight or obesity, and all of these pathologies must be treated,” he says.
Type 2 diabetes interacts with other pathologies such as hypertension, high cholesterol, overweight or obesity, and all of these pathologies must be treated.
Diabetes is characterized by an increase in blood sugar levels, either because the pancreas does not produce insulin, which is the hormone responsible for regulating it, or because the body does not use it correctly. In type 1 diabetes, which represents between 5 and 10% of all cases, there is deficient insulin production because the immune system inactivates the part of the pancreas that produces it. It develops during childhood or youth for unknown reasons. Type 2 diabetes represents between 80 and 90%, and is associated with overweight and a sedentary lifestyle. In this case, the body does not use its own insulin correctly.
As for treatment, in type 1 diabetes it will be essential to administer insulin, while in type 2 diabetes, drugs may be enough to maintain normal glucose levels. The fundamental thing in both cases is to have healthy habits, above all, with a good diet and regular exercise. The patient plays a very important role in managing the disease. Thus, 90% of treatment decisions depend on him. On a day-to-day basis, you must monitor your sugar levels, take the necessary medication and know how to act in the event of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Although diabetes cannot be cured, Dr. Antonio Amor, an expert in endocrinology at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, is clear that there are increasingly better drugs and treatments. However, it is the responsibility of each person to ensure their health: “Behaving well, in general, is much more beneficial than any drug we can give when the patient’s blood sugar is already through the roof.” Without considering this premise there can be serious complications.
One of them is hypoglycemia, that is, a drop in blood glucose. This can happen by not eating or skipping meals, taking more insulin than necessary, exercising more than usual, or drinking a lot of alcohol. When this occurs, the person feels trembling, sweating, paleness, palpitations, a feeling of hunger or dizziness. There may also be speech disturbance, blurred vision, and lack of coordination. Severe hypoglycemia can cause a complete or partial decrease in consciousness.
That we behave well, in general, is much more beneficial than any drug we can give when the patient already has blood sugar through the roof.
In the opposite case, when there is an excessive increase in the amount of sugar in the blood, hyperglycemia occurs. This happens when you eat foods with a lot of sugar, do not do physical activity, forget to take insulin, or suffer an infection. Sometimes you don’t notice it, but you can feel more thirsty, have a strong urge to urinate, or lose weight even if you eat more. Other chronic complications can also occur, which usually have their origin in a vascular problem. Long-term diabetes can affect your eyesight, kidneys, heart or feet, with serious consequences.
Diabetes is one of the biggest public health problems. It is not in vain that 10% of global health spending is allocated to it. Every 6 minutes a person dies from diabetes in the world, and it is estimated that in 2045 there will be 700 million people affected. Additionally, half of adults with diabetes are undiagnosed. Mercè Vidal, a nurse expert in diabetes, adds: “There are people who have type 2 diabetes who barely notice it, and they realize it when they take a test and see that their sugar level is high.” In Spain, it is estimated that, of the 5 million adults who have type 2 diabetes, there are 2.3 million who do not know they have it.
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