The prevalence of diabetes is increasing and, according to forecasts of the World Health Organization, it will be the seventh cause of death by 2030.
Maintaining a normal weight, doing periodic physical activity and carrying a healthy diet, can reduce the risk of suffering from this disease, which in 2012 killed 1.5 million people.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates sugar (glucose) in the blood that gives us the energy necessary to live.If you cannot reach the cells to become energy, sugar accumulates in the blood until reaching harmful levels.
There are two main forms of diabetes.People with type 1 diabetes generally do not produce insulin, so they need insulin injections to survive.Meanwhile, those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, which represent 90% of cases, usually produce their own insulin, but the amount is insufficient or cannot use it properly;They are usually overweight and are sedentary, two circumstances that increase their insulin needs.
Over time, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) can endanger all the main organs of the body and cause heart attacks, stroke, neuropathies, renal insufficiency, blindness, helplessness and infections that amputation may need.
On the other hand, gestational diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia that appears during pregnancy and reaches values that, despite being superior to normal, are lower than those established to diagnose a diabetes.Women with gestational diabetes are at greater risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and suffering from type 2 diabetes in the future.It is usually diagnosed by prenatal tests, rather than because the patient refers symptoms.
Key messages
Such is the challenge represented by diabetes globally, which WHO decided to dedicate World Health Day, which is celebrated next Thursday, to this problem.
Under the slogan "overcome diabetes", the world health entity will intensify prevention, improve attention and strengthen surveillance around this pathology.
Among the main messages trying to highlight, are:
* The diabetes epidemic is rapidly increasing in many countries, and extraordinarily in low and medium -sized income countries.
* A great proportion of diabetes cases are preventable.It has been proven that some simple measures related to the way of life are effective in preventing or delaying the appearance of type 2 diabetes. Maintenance of normal weight, periodic physical activity and a healthy diet can reduce the risk of diabetes.
* Diabetes can be controlled and treated to prevent complications.The greatest access to the diagnosis, education on personal control of the disease and affordable treatment are fundamental components of the response.
* The efforts to prevent and treat diabetes will be important to achieve the goal of the sustainable development objective 3, consisting of reducing premature mortality due to noncommunicable diseases in a third by 2030. Many sectors of society have an important function to perform, in particular the governments, employers, teachers and manufacturers, as well as civil society, the private sector, the informative media and each of us.
GOALS
When establishing the objectives of the 2016 World Health Day campaign, WHO listed:
* Increase awareness about the increase in diabetes andof its overwhelming loads and consequences, particularly in low and medium -sized income countries.
* Promote a set of specific, effective and affordable activities to deal with diabetes, with measures to prevent it and to diagnose, treat and attend to those who suffer from it.
* Present the first world report on diabetes, which will describe the load and consequences of diabetes and advocate more solid health systems that ensure better surveillance, reinforced prevention and more effective care of diabetes.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes - which may appear suddenly - consist, among others, in excessive urine excretion (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger (polyphia), weight loss, visual disorders and tiredness.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be similar to those of type 1, but are often less intense.Consequently, the disease can be diagnosed only when it has several years of evolution and complications have appeared.
"Until recently, this type of diabetes was only observed in adults, but currently it is also manifesting in children," says WHO.
As for the frequent consequences that this disease produces, these include the damage of the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.
In addition, diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and cerebral vascular accident (stroke).It is estimated that 50% of diabetic patients die of cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke).
On the other hand, the neuropathy of the feet combined with the reduction of blood flow increases the risk of feet ulcers, infection and, ultimately, amputation.
Another complication associated with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, an important cause of blindness that arises as a result of the damage of small blood vessels of the retina that accumulates over time.1% of world blindness is a consequence of diabetes.
Diabetes is among the main causes of renal insufficiency and the risk of death in diabetic people is at least twice than people without the disease.
Prevention and treatment
As detailed by WHO, it has been shown that simple measures related to lifestyle are effective in preventing type 2 diabetes or delaying its appearance.
In that sense, it is advised: reach and maintain healthy body weight;stay physically active (perform at least 30 minutes of regular activity of moderate intensity every day);consume a healthy diet that contains between three and five daily portions of fruits and vegetables and a reduced amount of sugar and saturated fats;Avoid tobacco consumption, since it increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
As with most diseases, the early diagnosis of diabetes is essential to avoid complications.To do this, the blood Ánalysis indicated by the doctor is only to be carried out.
The treatment of diabetes consists in the reduction of blood glucose and other known risk factors that damage blood vessels.It is also important to quit smoking.
According to WHO, among the interventions that are feasible and economic in developing countries are:
* Moderate glycemia control.Patients with type 1 diabetes need insulin and patients with type 2 diabetes can be treated with oral medications, although they may also need insulin.
* Blood pressure control.
* Podological care.
* Retinopathy detection tests.
* Blood lipid control (cholesterol concentration regulation).
* Signs detectionearly nephropathy related to diabetes.
