Utterly Sweetly Dangerous!

A visit to the hospital is not a good experience for nearly everyone unless it is for a good cause like donating blood, or even better, a new addition to our family! Otherwise, it can be very depressing. Having been visiting hospitals on a regular basis for over nine years now, I know how it feels. Yes, the person undergoing treatment goes through a lot physically and emotionally, but it also involves utmost commitment from the family members. Financially, it is surely a drain but on the emotional front, a lot of qualities like patience, love and the like are put to test.

I do not intend getting into the emotional aspect as it touches many at the wrong chords which includes me too! This blog, anyway, came to my mind when I overhead the following conversation in the hospital:

Man 1: Hello Sir! Are you waiting for the Doctor?

Man 2: Yes Sir! What ailment do you suffer from?

Man 1: Oh! Nothing serious, I am a diabetic for 20 years now. I have restricted myself from eating sweets and oily food. But what to do, at this age, you tend to break the rules. We live one life after all!

Man 2: Oh no sir! Do not say that. I had the same attitude as yours and here I have landed with a kidney disorder. Most of us think BP, diabetes have all become common like fever and cold or getting a cataract operation, but I have learnt my lesson. Just that it is too late. Please don’t take it lightly sir. Take care!

The mention of BP and kidney disorder jolted me all right! For my family member, it began with a ‘simple’ BP problem. It strangled our necks when the kidney failure was diagnosed for her and since then, it has been just hospital visits galore!

With the growing population, new medical complications are growing giving competition to the former! But blood pressure (high/low) and diabetes are by far the most common ailments seen today and I thought I will not only be aware myself but also educate the readers of this blog. I am keeping it very simple with a few definitions, do’s and don’ts, facts on the diabetic population in India and other simple but important things we must know.

1. What is diabetes?
• According to the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes is a disorder caused due to insulin deficiency, impaired effectiveness of insulin action, or both

2. What is insulin?
• Insulin is a hormone needed to enable glucose to enter the cells. It is an internal secretion of the pancreas which provides energy

3. What is impaired glucose tolerance?
• IGT is an infection without any symptoms and is defined by high levels of blood glucose. It is also being recognized as a transition stage from normalcy to diabetes

 Types of diabetes

1. Type 1: Also known as insulin-dependent. The body’s defence system attacks the insulin-producing cells. It mostly affects children and young adults. The affected will need insulin every day in order to control the levels of glucose in their blood

Symptoms:

• Abnormal thirst and dry mouth
• Frequent urination
• Extreme tiredness
• Constant hunger
• Sudden weight loss
• Slow-healing wounds
• Recurrent infections
• Blurred infection

2. Type II: This type is characterized by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. It occurs after the age of 40 years but could occur earlier, especially in populations with high diabetes prevalence. Type 2 diabetes is asymptomatic.

Symptoms:

• Ethnicity
• Obesity, diet and inactivity
• Insulin resistance
• Family history
• Environment inside the uterus

Note: Type 2 diabetes constitutes about 85 to 95% of all diabetes in developed countries, and accounts for an even higher percentage in developing countries

 Important facts

1. Diabetes is the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in most developed countries and there is substantial evidence that it is epidemic in many developing and newly industrialized nations
2. Number of people with diabetes in 2007: 246 million
3. Number of people with diabetes in 2025 (projected): 380 million
4. Diabetic complications account for much of the social and financial burden of diabetes
5. Diabetes is ranked among the leading causes for blindness, renal failure and lower limb amputation
6. Major complications due to diabetes are cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, neuropathy, amputation and retinopathy
7. Some 3.8 million men and women worldwide were estimated to have died from diabetes-related causes in the year 2007
8. This accounts for more than 6% of the total world mortality
9. According to the American Diabetes Association, eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes. Diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors
10. Eating excessive sweets may cause obesity which may lead to Type 2 diabetes


 Facts on India

• According to the Diabetes Atlas published by the International Diabetes Federation, the number of diabetic patients is predicted to rise to almost 70 million people by 2025
• The countries with the largest number of diabetic people will be India, China and USA by 2030
• It is estimated that every fifth person with diabetes will be an Indian
• The economic burden due to diabetes in India is amongst the highest in the world. Indians are predicted to spend 5, 371, 754 US Dollars in 2025
• The risk factors for diabetes in Indians are age, family history, obesity, physical inactivity, urbanization and stress
• According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) the prevalence of diabetes is 16.6% in Hyderabad, followed by Chennai with 13.5%, Bangalore with 12.4%, Delhi with 11.6%, and Mumbai with 9.3%
• According to the International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries, India is termed as the ‘Diabetes Capital of the world’
• The occurrence of death due to diabetes in India is between 6% and 8%

Sources:

• International Diabetes Federation
• Express Healthcare Management
• Hindustan Times
• Health Castle
• American Diabetes Association

Please feel free to let me know if any more important additions need to be made. Will get information on BP next and create a similar awareness article! Hope this helps!