LifeCare Diagnostic
November 1, 2020
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, remains one of the major non-communicable diseases in Malaysia, affecting up to 3.6 million of the Malaysian population with a prevalence of 16.8%.
Seven million Malaysian adults aged 18 years and older are estimated to develop diabetes by 2025, a major health public concern that will see a higher diabetes prevalence of 31.3%.
Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which can lead to serious complications to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves if it is poorly controlled.
Insulin, produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, is a naturally occurring hormone in your body which helps to regulate and maintain your blood sugar level. However, with diabetes, your body either does not make enough insulin as seen in Type 1 diabetes (insulin deficiency), or cannot effectively use the insulin that your body does make as seen in Type 2 diabetes (insulin resistance).
Type 1 diabetes affects 10% of diabetic patients under 30 years old, and type 2 occurs most commonly in adults over 40 years old although they can be presented in earlier age groups if there is the presence of other risk factors.
Risk Factors for Diabetes
Symptoms of Diabetes
Majority of diabetics are asymptomatic, but common symptoms include:
Symptoms of Diabetes
Majority of diabetics are asymptomatic, but common symptoms include:
Who Should Be Screened?
Complications of Diabetes
Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
How to Prevent and Manage Diabetes?
1. Prevention
Simple lifestyle modifications have been shown to be an effective means of preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes. To help prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications, people should:
2. Diagnosis and treatment
Early diagnosis can be accomplished through relatively inexpensive testing of blood sugar, either by fasting blood glucose or HbA1c which reflects the average blood sugar readings in the past 3 months.
Treatment of diabetes involves diet and physical activity along with lowering blood glucose and the levels of other known risk factors that damage blood vessels. Tobacco use cessation is also important to avoid complications.
KKLIU 1600/2021
