World Diabetes Day – 14 November 2024
World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin in 1921 (along with Charles Best, James Collip and John Macleod). Diabetes and Well-Being is the theme chosen by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) for World Diabetes Day 2024-2026.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels, which over time leads to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough insulin. Over the past 3 decades, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in countries of all income levels. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin on its own. For people living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to their survival. There is a globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025.
Symptoms
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:
• Frequent urination
• Thirst
• Constant hunger
• Weight loss
• Vision changes
• Fatigue
These symptoms can come on suddenly.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are generally similar to those of type 1 diabetes, but are often less severe. As a result, the disease may not be diagnosed until many years after it starts, after complications have already occurred. For this reason, it is important to know your risk factors.
Over time, diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the heart, eyes, kidneys and nerves.
People with diabetes have a higher risk of health problems, such as heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
Diabetes can cause permanent vision loss by damaging the blood vessels in the eyes.
Many people with diabetes develop problems with their feet due to nerve damage and poor blood flow. This can cause foot ulcers (diabetic foot) and can lead to amputation.
Diabetic foot is one of the most serious complications that threaten people with Diabetes. Diabetic foot is the name given to the foot of diabetic people that has lesions below the ankles.
Diabetic foot can quickly become a deformed foot with open wounds (ulcers) and infections, which can become gangrenous and amputation. Every half minute, somewhere in the world, an amputation is performed due to this serious complication.
The main cause of the development of Diabetic foot is Neuropathy, which occurs in the course of diabetes.
Neuropathy is the destruction of nerves and is common in patients with diabetes (diabetic neuropathy). Even slightly elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels can damage some of the nerves in people with diabetes. This is why Diabetic Neuropathy is a common complication of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Over 50% of people with Type 2 Diabetes and over the age of 60 have peripheral neuropathy, meaning that the nerves in the feet have been damaged. Neuropathy presents with different symptoms, the most common being foot pain.
It is therefore very important to know if diabetes has caused damage to the nerves in your feet (diabetic neuropathy), because then your feet are at risk of ulcers and injuries, with a possible consequence of amputation. Simply put, if you have diabetic neuropathy you are at high risk of developing a diabetic foot.
The main symptoms are:
• Swollen and irritated foot
• Smooth and red foot
• Blisters or calluses on the foot
• Dry skin
• Bruised foot or the opposite, i.e. discoloration of the foot
• Ulcer or ulcers on the foot
• Loss of hair on the foot.
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (formerly known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood) is characterized by insufficient insulin production and requires daily insulin administration. In 2017, there were 9 million people with type 1 diabetes. The majority of them live in high-income countries. Neither the cause nor the means of prevention are known.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes affects the way your body uses sugar (glucose) for energy. It prevents the body from using insulin properly, which can lead to high blood sugar levels if left untreated.
Over time, type 2 diabetes can cause serious damage to the body, especially to the nerves and blood vessels.
Type 2 diabetes is often preventable. Factors that contribute to developing type 2 diabetes include being overweight, not getting enough exercise, and genetics.
Early diagnosis is important to prevent the worst effects of type 2 diabetes. The best way to detect diabetes early is to have regular checkups and blood tests with a healthcare provider.
More than 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was previously called non-insulin-dependent. Until recently, this type of diabetes was only seen in adults, but it is now increasingly occurring in children.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is hyperglycemia with blood glucose levels above normal but below those diagnostic of diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.
Women with gestational diabetes are at increased risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. These women and possibly their children are also at increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the future.
Gestational diabetes is diagnosed through prenatal screening rather than through reported symptoms.
Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) and Impaired Fasting Glycemia (IFG)
Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) and Impaired Fasting Glycemia (IFG) are intermediate states in the transition between normal and diabetes. People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Prevention
Type 1 diabetes cannot currently be prevented. Effective approaches are available to prevent type 2 diabetes and to prevent the complications and premature death that can result from all types of diabetes.
Lifestyle changes are the best way to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
To help prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications, people should:
• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
• Stay physically active with at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day
• Eat a healthy diet and avoid sugar and saturated fat
• Don’t smoke
Diagnosis and treatment
The starting point for living well with diabetes is early diagnosis – the longer a person lives with undiagnosed and untreated diabetes, the worse their health outcomes.
Early diagnosis can be achieved through relatively inexpensive blood glucose testing. People with type 1 diabetes need insulin injections to survive.
One of the most important ways to manage diabetes is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Some people with type 2 diabetes will need to take medications to help manage their blood sugar levels. This may include insulin injections or other medications.
Along with medications to lower blood sugar, people with diabetes often need medications to lower their blood pressure and statins to reduce the risk of complications.
Additional medical care may be needed to manage the effects of diabetes:
• Foot care to treat ulcers
• Screening and treatment for kidney disease
• Eye exams to check for retinopathy (which causes blindness).