What is the key to managing diabetes?

Diabetes continues to be a dreaded disease worldwide with more and more people being diagnosed with the disease everyday. According to the International Diabetes Federation, the number of people suffering from diabetes has increased from 30 million to over 230 million in the last two decades, and is expected to reach 350 million in less than 20 years. In the Philippines, an estimated 4 million Filipinos are diabetic, with 500 Filipinos being diagnosed with the disease daily.

The good news is, diabetes can be managed to help keep the disease under control and most importantly, to improve quality of life.

Managing diabetes is a lifetime responsibility as the disease is progressive and has no cure. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or properly use insulin or both. It is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia or excessive levels of blood sugar or glucose in the bloodstream, caused either by the body’s inability to make insulin (type 1 diabetes); or by the body not responding to the effects of insulin (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose or (sugar) in blood to enter the cells of the body.

The goals of diabetes management are to keep your blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol and lipid levels normal; control your blood pressure; and prevent the development of diabetes-related problems.

In successfully managing diabetes, compliance to prescribed medications is key, so as to regulate blood glucose levels. But compliance with medications has become a problem in most diabetic patients. There are some patients who feel that following a drug regimen is too complex or that the lifestyle modifications that accompany these medications are a punishment that prevents them from enjoying life despite their condition. Others take their treatment of diabetes lightly, complying with their medicines for a few days and then forgetting about it in the following week or so.

There are many forms of medications for the treatment of diabetes. For type 1 diabetes, insulin injection is the common treatment, which is classified by how fast they start to work and how long their effects last. For type 2 diabetes, oral diabetes medications or diabetes pills, which are often used in combination to achieve optimal blood sugar control, are usually prescribed. Examples of diabetes pills include: Sulfonylureas, which lower blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin; Biguanides, which improves insulin’s ability to move sugar into cells and prevents the liver from releasing stored sugar; Thiazolidinediones, which reduces insulin resistance; and Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, which block enzymes that help digest starches to slow down the rise in blood sugar.

Not taking your medication compliance seriously may result in prolonged and elevated levels of glucose in the blood, which when left unchecked and untreated may lead to serious diabetic complications and sometimes even death. Complications of diabetes include kidney failure, heart disease, liver disease, nerve disease that may cause numbness or pain in the hands, feet, legs and other parts of the body, gum disease and loss of teeth, blindness and limb amputation.

Compliance with corresponding medical treatments is essential for both types of diabetes to successfully manage the disease. For type 1 diabetics, proper administration of insulin is critical, so work with your doctor closely to know the type of insulin that fits your condition, its times of onset and duration of action, and the amount of insulin you should inject depending on your food intake and exercise regimen. Compliance with diabetes pills is also a must, as studies show that continuous drug treatment results in better glycemic control.

Lifestyle modification is also a must for both types of diabetics. Make it a goal to achieve a healthy weight, as studies reveal that obesity contributes greatly to insulin resistance. Control your diet by carefully planning what you eat and exercise regularly to improve tissue sensitivity to insulin. Measure and record your blood glucose levels and blood pressure levels everyday and have regular consultations with your doctor to keep yourself informed of your diabetes status.

In managing diabetes, it is a must to gather information regarding the disease to help you control it successfully. Some patients lack proper information on the disease, particularly in detecting the symptoms and the risk factors associated with diabetes. Risk factors for diabetes include those with a family history of the disease or at least 45 years old and above, ethnicity, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, hypertension, vascular disease, or those who show signs of insulin resistance, particularly women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Diabetics experience symptoms such as frequent urination, increased thirst, unexplained weight loss, increased appetite, blurring of vision, weakness, fatigue and poor wound healing.

At the onset of these symptoms or if you think you may already be at risk for diabetes, remember that it is very important to have yourself checked to know all the options available to help you manage your condition. Keep in mind that with proper diabetes management, particularly compliance with your medications, you can still live a long and active life.

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