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Healthcare
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you a Potential Diabetic?
After
the age of forty, the chances of suffering from the
ill-effects of high blood glucose increases dramatically.
In this article, Dr. Dipankar Kar, MBBS, MRSH(Lond),
MDRC (Diabetes), Consultant Diabetologist, explains
the risk factors of undetected diabetes and hopes to
make people aware of this serious but controllable affliction.
Diabolic
Diabetes
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Diabetes
Mellitus (high blood glucose) is emerging as the chronic non-communicable
disease of concern in developing countries. According to the
latest estimates, India has the largest number of diabetics,
i.e. 20 millions, and by year 2025, this number will become
57 million. It looks as if India poised to become the "diabetic
capital" of the world. Rapid urbanisation, change in our
lifestyle, mechanical intervention in day-to-day life, unhygienic
industrial growth, increasing stress in normal life and of course
genetic predispositions are the factors accountable for high
prevalence of diabetes in our country. Furthermore, Indians
have high ethnic susceptibility of developing diabetes at a
younger age group and develop vascular complication like brain
stroke, eye problems(blindness), heart attack, kidney failure,
foot problem (responsible for leg amputation) etc., earlier
and more frequently during the natural progression of the disease.
The diagnosis of diabetes is often frightening and causes unnecessary
despair. Remember there are millions of men, women and children
who have diabetes. Recent studies reveal that one in twelve
urban Indians above the age of forty are likely to be diabetic.
Hence, individuals with high risk should have an early blood
sugar estimation with medical checkup after age of 30 years.
Even if there is no evidence of diabetes, checkup should be
repeated annually. Diabetic patients are lucky, as unlike others,
whose diabetes is undiagnosed, because steps can be taken to
prevent problem associated with diabetes. Although there is
no known cure of diabetes, with modern treatment, you can hope
to live as normal, as active, and as useful a life as any other
person. Unlike other diseases, good control of diabetes requires
active involvement of the patient and it is essential for you
to have a good understanding of diabetes and its therapy.
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