Predicts that the number of people with diabetes will dramatically increase – you are advised how to avoid a complex disease

– According to 2017 data, there were 108,000 people with type 2 diabetes in the country. That is more than 5 percent. Lithuanian adults. Are there really that many sick people, or are there some people who don’t even know they are sick?

– For type 2 diabetes, it is estimated that another half of the cases are undiagnosed. This means that there may be twice as many patients as reported in the statistics. Explaining the disease is a very important job for the patient and the doctor. The disease starts slowly, symptoms are not very specific, they occur gradually, and patients do not associate them with a possible increase in blood sugar.

– Is the number of diseases growing and how does Lithuania look in the world context?

– The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide, both in terms of modern lifestyles and genetics. There are some countries where there are even more cases of this disease than Lithuania, such as Finland.

– Can you say that diabetes is our fault? What are the causes of this disease?

Sometimes type 2 diabetes is called lifestyle disease. This is not entirely true, a large proportion of diseases are caused by genetics, so the risk group includes not only obese and immobile people, but also those whose families include people with diabetes. Especially first degree relatives. Therefore, if someone in the family is sick, it is necessary to inform the family doctor and pay attention to him.

– How long can a person not know that he is sick and what are the first symptoms?

– It is difficult to say exactly, because we cannot determine when the disease started, but it is possible to get sick for several years without knowing it. The main symptoms are: more frequent urination, thirst, unexplained tiredness, itchy skin, more frequent skin rashes, impaired vision, numbness in the legs and arms.

– Can a person not know that he is sick, even though complications have already started and the organs are vulnerable?

– Yes, and this is a very common case. Once type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, endocrinologists and family physicians immediately screen for complications. Kidney, eye, and nerve damage are not uncommon, and macrovascular complications, such as leg injuries and cardiovascular disease, are quite common.

– It means that a person can request completely different problems and is diagnosed with diabetes. What are the results of early detection of the disease?

– Good glycemic control, weight correction, healthy lifestyle delays complications. They are not completely unavoidable, because other factors also act: an increase in blood pressure, imbalance of lipids in the blood, so complications still develop.

– How can a person help himself if he already has diabetes?

– First of all, lifestyle adjustments are needed. Sometimes people think that when they have diabetes, the quality of life suffers a lot, the patient can no longer eat anything and the like. However, this is not the case, the sick must follow the exact same healthy lifestyle as the sick. If a person has lived unhealthy, the disease encourages them to eat healthy, exercise more, and maintain their weight. Therefore, in all recommendations for a diabetic, lifestyle adjustments should be made first, and only later should they be analyzed for medication.

– If a person does not live in a healthy way, is overweight, has a family history of diabetes, is it possible to prevent this disease?

– This person must first find out if there is prediabetes and possibly already have diabetes If certain abnormalities are detected, although the disease is not yet present, the patient should be closely monitored, examined annually, and receive lifestyle recommendations. In fact, it is possible to delay the onset of the disease regardless of genetics or other circumstances, if a person takes action, adjusts his weight.

– Why do people die of diabetes and how do death rates change?

– It is slightly increasing in Lithuania, but it is difficult to say the exact trends, as the registry is improving, so these minor changes may be related to more accurate documentation. However, the most common cause of death is not diabetes but cardiovascular disease caused by diabetes. Patients who visit cardiologists very frequently have unexplained diabetes. A patient who is 60 years old and has the disease will have a shorter life expectancy of 6 years than a non-patient. If you have already had a heart attack, your life expectancy is 12 years less than that of someone who is not sick.

– How often should you check your blood sugar level? After all, a lot of Lithuanians visit doctors only when they can no longer get out of bed.

– In patients at risk, a glucose tolerance test should be performed regardless of age or complaints. The at-risk group includes obese people, those with family members with type 2 diabetes, women who have given birth to newborns weighing more than 4 kg, and those who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes with polycystic ovary syndrome. In other cases, starting at age 45, GPs should perform a test on each, if there are no disorders, repeat it after 3-5 years. However, the largest group of people with diabetes is between the ages of 40 and 59.

– If a person goes to the doctor and the doctor says they are at risk of diabetes, what should be done?

– First of all, you need to take weight control, start eating healthy, lose weight if it is too high. Also participating in physical activities because we live really not busy enough, sports are scarce for many people. Even a half-hour walk at a fast pace every day helps prevent diabetes.