Diabetes

Early detection of diabetes can help prevent or delay complications.

Do you know what hyper­glycaemia or diabetes is?

This occurs when too much glucose (sugar) is in the blood. When it is persistently high in an individual that person has diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either 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 blood glucose.

Hyperglycaemia, also called raised blood glucose or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body’s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent, or adult-onset) results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin.

Prevention

Lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Diagnosis and treatment

Early diagnosis can be accomplished through relatively inexpensive testing of blood glucose.

Treatment of diabetes involves diet and physical activity along with lowering of blood glucose and the levels of other known risk factors that damage blood vessels. Tobacco use cessation is also important to avoid complications.

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin.