What diabetic patients must know

Diabetes is a metabolic disease. At present, diabetes is one of the serious health problems which people face.

When the production of insulin in the body or the effectiveness of insulin decreases, glucose cannot enter the cells.

This causes the glucose level in the blood to increase. This condition is diabetes.

• Those with a family history of diabetes.

• Those who are overweight.

• Those who do not exercise or do physical work.

• Those who have been taking steroid-based medicines for a long time.

• Those with a history of gestational diabetes.

• Women who have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

• Frequent urination.

• Feeling very thirsty or having a dry throat.

• Feeling very hungry, losing weight.

• Feeling extremely tired.

• Blurred vision.

• Slow healing of wounds.

• Increase in various skin diseases such as scabies, boils, etc.

• Proper education about diabetes for the patient and family members.

• Change in eating habits, regular exercise, and discipline.

• Oral medication or insulin if necessary.

• Problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, paralysis, nerve problems, kidney failure, and eye problems such as bleeding in the eyes and blindness, gangrenous wounds on the feet, diarrhoea, gum inflammation, and scabies may occur.

• Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to decreased sexual ability in men, high birth weight in women, stillbirth, death of the baby after birth, and various types of birth defects. If diabetes is controlled, all these serious complications can be largely avoided.

An important aspect of controlling diabetes is measuring your blood glucose with a glucometer at home and monitoring treatment based on the blood sugar level.

In addition, one must be under the supervision of a physician by checking the average blood sugar or HbA1c and other complications every three to six months.

* Ananta Kumar Kundu, Diabetes and Hormone Specialist, BARDEM General Hospital, Shahbagh, Dhaka