DIABETES MELLITUS: DEFINITION, NUMBERS, MYTHS AND CONTROL.

DEFINITION

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not use the insulin it produces effectively, causing an increase in blood sugar.

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the absence of insulin synthesis and begins early in life, even in childhood.

In type 2 or adult diabetes, the body’s inability to use insulin effectively causes blood sugar levels to rise, which is often the result of excess weight or physical inactivity.

NUMBERS

Diabetes Mellitus and obesity are the two diseases that have proliferated the most in the world in recent years, both being a very serious health problem.

To get an idea, we can say that in the United States about 10.5% of the population has diabetes, which is equivalent to about 34 million Americans. It is estimated that the annual expense for each diabetic is $ 17,000 dollars in this country, which represents approximately $ 57.8 million. However, the prevalence of the disease has increased more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and lower limb amputation.

In 2016, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were directly caused by diabetes in this country. Almost half of all deaths attributable to diabetes mellitus occur before the age of 70.

The World Health Organization estimates that diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2016.

MYTHS

“Insulin blinds patients who use it.”

Negative: What leaves them blind are ophthalmological complications such as cataracts, which are seen earlier in life in diabetics, retinal affectations and infections that are much more serious and frequent in diabetics.

CONTROL

Diabetes can be treated, and its consequences avoided or delayed if we follow the following recommendations:

A healthy diet, with a reduction in calories from sugars (sweets in general), flours (bread, cookies, rice, potatoes, spaghetti, pizza, etc.), will help them to lower their glucose levels and thereby reduce also reduce complications.

Regular physical activity (moderate exercise equivalent to walking 150 minutes a week) will help you maintain a normal body weight. Also, avoiding tobacco and alcohol consumption are ways to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

What about medications? We leave them for the next one.

Alejandro Jorrín MD, Clinica Las Mercedes. Homestead, FL.

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