DOCTORS IN SERVICE LIMITED HEALTH TIT-BITS FOR RADIO

DIABETES MELLITUS
DAY 1

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body does not utilize the glucose or sugar
from the food we eat. This causes the sugar to build up in the blood.

DIABETES KEY FACTS:

Worldwide:
347 million people have diabetes
More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle - income countries
The number of people with diabetes is increasing in every country.
Half of people with diabetes are undiagnosed.
4.8 million people died due to diabetes in 2012.
In Ghana, diabetes could be threatening the lives of some 50 per cent of patients.
At least 2.2 million Ghanaians already suffer from the disease.
DAY 2
Understanding Diabetes
Metabolism refers to the way our bodies use digested food for energy and growth. Most of
what we eat is broken down into glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar in the blood - it is the main
source of fuel for our bodies.
When our food is digested, the glucose makes its way into our bloodstream. Our cells use the
glucose for energy and growth. However, glucose cannot enter our cells without insulin being
present - insulin makes it possible for our cells to take in the glucose. Insulin is a hormone that
is produced by the pancreas.
After eating, the pancreas automatically releases an adequate quantity of insulin to move the
glucose present in our blood into the cells, as soon as glucose enters the cells blood-glucose
levels drop.
A person with diabetes has a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too high
(hyperglycemia). This is because the body either does not produce enough insulin, produces no
insulin, or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin the pancreas produces.
This results in too much glucose building up in the blood. This excess blood glucose eventually
passes out of the body in urine. So even though the blood has plenty of glucose, the cells are
not getting it for their essential energy and growth requirements.
DAY 3
What are the different types of diabetes?
TYPE I DIABETES:
This can occur at any age but occur more commonly in children, teenagers or young adults. In
this condition the pancreas produces little or no insulin and hence insulin therapy is a must in
these patients. This type of diabetes can be well controlled with insulin, proper diet, exercise
and careful monitoring.
TYPE II DIABETES
This occurs usually in adults and is the most common type of diabetes. In this type of diabetes
the pancreas does not make enough insulin, and /or the fat, muscle, or liver cells do not use it
properly. Being overweight can increase the chances of developing Type II diabetes. Such
patients require oral tablets, insulin, or both to maintain their blood sugar. Until recently, this
type of diabetes was seen only in adults but it is now also occurring in children.
GESTATIONAL DIABETES: diabetes developing during pregnancy in previously non-diabetic
individuals


DAY 4
Symptoms of Diabetes
Most of the patients with diabetes do not present with any symptoms of their high blood sugar.
When symptoms occur, they may include:
extreme thirst
frequent urination
extreme hunger
Unexplained weight loss
impaired healing of wounds
Recurrent boils
Frequent or recurring skin, gum, bladder or vaginal yeast infections
Symptoms related to chronic complications (numbness, tingling sensation of the
extremities, blurring of vision) etc.


DAY 5
How is diabetes diagnosed and monitored?
Diabetes can be diagnosed by drawing blood from your body and estimating the sugars present.
The usual blood tests that your doctor may ask for diagnosing your diabetes may be:
Random Blood Sugar [RBS]-Blood taken at any time of the day
Fasting Blood Sugar [FBS]-Blood taken before taking food early in the morning
Oral glucose tolerance test with 75 g glucose load (adults) or 1.75 g/kg body weight in
children (if required to confirm diagnosis)


DAY 6
RISK FACTORS
Weight: The more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.
Inactivity: The less active you are, the greater your risk. Physical activity helps you
control your weight, uses up glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to
insulin.
Family history: Your risk increases if a parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes.
Age: Your risk increases as you get older.
Gestational diabetes: If you developed gestational diabetes when you were pregnant,
your risk of developing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes later increases.
High blood pressure: Having blood pressure over 140/90mm Hg is linked to an
increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Abnormal cholesterol levels: If you have low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or
"good," cholesterol, your risk of type 2 diabetes is higher. Low levels of HDL are defined
as below 35 mg/dL (milligram per deciliter).
High levels of triglycerides (Fats carried in the blood): If your triglyceride levels are
above 250 mg/dL (milligram per deciliter), your risk of diabetes increases.

DAY 7
HOW IS DIABETES MANAGED?
SELF-MONITORING OF BLOOD GLUCOSE
To monitor your blood sugar, you may need to depend on regular estimations of blood sugar
using an instrument called glucometer.

PLANNING YOUR FOOD CONSUMPTION
The ideal eating pattern for a person with diabetes is not really any different from what a non-
diabetic person would do if he/she aimed for optimum health and fitness.


Three things will have a major impact on your blood glucose and blood lipids (cholesterol,
triglycerides) levels
What you eat
How much you eat
When you eat
By selecting the right types of foods, as well as appropriate quantities you can significantly
improve your ability to control your blood glucose and blood lipids. Eating a low-fat, low-salt
and high fiber content diet and drinking alcohol in moderation will be of great benefit.
It is vital that you talk to an expert about your eating plan. It needs to be tailored according to
your weight, age, which medications you are taking and how physically active you are (and, if
so, when during the day you are likely to be the most active).

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; EXERCISE
Most experts say you should do exercise on at least five days of each week. Each session should
be of moderate-intensity (such as brisk walking) and should not last less than thirty minutes.



DAY 8
MEDICATIONS FOR DIABETES
All the patients with type 1 diabetes require insulin. Some patients with type 2 diabetes who
initially respond to diet and / or oral diabetic medications eventually require insulin therapy.
Most people who have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes are likely to be prescribed with a
group of drugs that are called as oral hypoglycemic agents. These medications work in different
ways in reducing blood sugar.



DAY 9
COMPLICATIONS
Although long-term complications of diabetes develop gradually, they can eventually be
disabling or even life-threatening. Some of the potential complications of diabetes include the
following:
Heart And Blood Vessel Disease: Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of various heart
problems, including heart attack, stroke, narrowing of arteries and high blood pressure etc.
Nerve Damage (Neuropathy): Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels
(capillaries) that nourish your nerves, especially in the legs. This can cause tingling, numbness,
burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads
upward.
Poorly controlled blood sugar can eventually cause you to lose all sense of feeling in the
affected limbs. Damage to the nerves that control digestion can cause problems with nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. For men, erectile dysfunction may be a problem as a result
of nerve damage.
Kidney Damage (Nephropathy): The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters that
filter waste from your blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe
damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, requiring dialysis or
a kidney transplant.
Eye damage: Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy),
potentially leading to blindness. Diabetes also increases the risk of other serious vision
conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma.
The patient suffering from retinopathy may complain of blurring of vision, seeing black spots,
flashing lights etc.
Foot damage: Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of
various foot complications. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can become serious infections.
Severe damage might require toe, foot or even leg amputation.
Skin and mouth conditions: Diabetes may leave you more susceptible to skin problems,
including bacterial and fungal infections. Gum infections also may be a concern, especially if
you have a history of poor dental hygiene.
Osteoporosis: Diabetes may lead to lower than normal bone mineral density, increasing your
risk of osteoporosis.
Hearing problems: Diabetes can also lead to hearing impairment.


DAY 10
PREVENTION
You can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through a healthy lifestyle. To achieve
this you should:
Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
Be physically active - at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most
days of the week
Eat a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables and reduce sugar and saturated fats intake
Avoid tobacco use smoking increases the risk of heart disease.
With these positive steps, you can stay healthier longer and reduce your risk of diabetes.