Signs, Symptoms and How to Reverse It

One-third of United States adults have prediabetes, but does that really matter? After all, these adults aren’t diabetic yet, so the health risk isn’t actually there, right? Wrong. UnityPoint Diabetologist, David Trachtenbarg, MD, talks about how to prevent prediabetes from becoming diabetes.

What is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels aren’t high enough to diagnose Type 2 diabetes, but without change, will usually develop into diabetes within 10 years.

“The large number of adults who already have prediabetes indicates millions of people will develop diabetes, which is a disease with many serious complications,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

This is the concern of healthcare providers across the country, so much so that some have labeled prediabetes as “an epidemic that’s out of control.” There’s good reason to take prediabetes seriously. Even before an adult is diagnosed with diabetes, prediabetes can start to have negative effects on the body.

“Prediabetes is more common than overt diabetes, if you have prediabetes, you are at increased risk for heart disease and strokes in addition to the risk of developing overt diabetes,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

Signs and Symptoms of Prediabetes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 90% of people with prediabetes don’t know they have it. That’s because it usually doesn’t have symptoms. 

Common Prediabetes Risk Factors:

• You’re overweight or obese
• You have a family history of Type 2 diabetes
• You’re physically active less than 3 times per week
• You’re age 45 or older
• You’ve had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
• You are African American, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian American

“Since prediabetes doesn’t have clear signs and symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor about getting your blood glucose, or blood sugar, tested regularly,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

How to Read Blood Sugar Results

For someone who is diabetic, a fasting blood glucose result would be 126 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) or higher. Blood glucose results would fall in the 100-125 mg/dL for the prediabetes range. 

A provider might also do another blood test, an A1C, which looks at the amount of glucose (sugar) stuck to blood. A1C results of 6.5% or higher would point to diabetes; 5.8-6.4% is categorized as prediabetes.

Prediabetes Can be Reversed

Luckily, prediabetes can be reversed. If identified, the progression toward diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle changes, such as diet and regular exercise.  

“Controlling weight is a key factor. For people with prediabetes, even a 5% weight loss can be a powerful preventive measure,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

5 Ways to Reverse or Prevent Prediabetes 

• Get regular exercise. Try walking, jogging or resistance training for 30 minutes, five times per week. Adding resistance training (weights) three times a week helps even more.
• Manage stress. Stress can cause you to lose sight of your goals. Try these 11 stress relief activities.
• Learn about healthy eating. Talk to a UnityPoint Health dietitian or investigate local diabetes education programs.
• Consider medication. In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe medication. Talk to your doctor to determine if this is an option for you.
• Find a support group. People with similar goals and challenges can help you through struggles.

“Participating in a Certified National Diabetes Prevention Program has been shown to reduce your chance of developing diabetes by up to 50%. However, like many other lifestyle changes, these programs require a significant time commitment,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

Are you included in the number of adults who have prediabetes? Take this quick diabetes assessment to determine how at-risk you are for the disease. For questions about reversing prediabetes or prediabetes treatment options, talk to your UnityPoint Health provider.

Borderline diabetes (prediabetes): Symptoms, causes, and treatments

Borderline diabetes, known as prediabetes, is where a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes is a condition that can progress to type 2 diabetes.

Research shows that this progression occurs in about 25% of people with prediabetes within 3–5 years. Overall, up to 70% of people with prediabetes will develop diabetes at some point in their life.

Doctors may also refer to borderline diabetes as impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose.

This article looks at how to recognize risk factors for prediabetes, manage the condition, and prevent type 2 diabetes from developing.

Borderline diabetes does not have clear symptoms. Some people may not be aware that they have it until:

• a doctor performs a blood glucose test and urinalysis
• it has progressed to type 2 diabetes
• a complication occurs, such as a heart attack

If a person’s blood sugar level remains high, they may begin to develop some symptoms of type 2 diabetes. These include frequent urination and increased thirst.

However, most people will not know they have prediabetes until they receive testing.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a range of other conditions and factors can increase the risk of prediabetes, including:

• obesity, especially when it involves a large waist size
• high blood pressure
• high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat
• low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol
• low levels of physical activity

People with a family history of type 2 diabetes may also have an increased risk, suggesting that genetics play a role.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the following lifestyle factors may also be a risk for prediabetes in some people:

• raised stress levels
• smoking
• drinking too much alcohol

Regularly consuming high sugar drinks may also increase the risk. A 2017 review found that people who regularly drink sugary beverages face an increased risk of metabolic diseases, such as high blood pressure and high levels of blood glucose and triglycerides. These metabolic conditions can lead to prediabetes and diabetes.

People who lead an inactive lifestyle also have a higher risk of taking in too many calories without burning them through exercise.

Other people who may be at risk of developing prediabetes include those who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or have experienced instances of high blood sugar levels in the past.

Anyone with any of these risk factors may benefit from a prediabetes screening to check whether they have the condition.

A doctor typically uses blood tests to diagnose prediabetes. A glucose tolerance test is particularly useful because it measures how quickly the body can process the sugar in the blood in a 2-hour period.

Other options include a fasting blood test, which measures blood sugar levels after a person has not eaten for a specific period, and an A1C test, which measures the average blood sugar levels over 2–3 months. People do not need to fast or take any special liquids or medications for the A1C test, and it gives reliable results.

The American Diabetes Association states that a doctor will diagnose prediabetes when test results show the following measurements:

• fasting blood sugar levels of 100–125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl)
• glucose tolerance levels of 140–199 mg/dl
• an A1C test result of 5.7–6.4%

A doctor will often re-test these levels to confirm that the readings are not due to one-off spikes in blood sugar.

Who should undergo screening for prediabetes?

The NIDDK recommends that people with the following risk factors undergo a prediabetes screening:

• an age of 45 years or over
• a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher
• a waist circumference larger than 40 inches in males or 35 inches in females
• a close relative with diabetes
• a condition that increases insulin resistance, including PCOS, acanthosis nigricans, and non-alcohol-related steatohepatitis
• certain racial or ethnic backgrounds, including African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander
• a history of gestational diabetes, which is diabetes during pregnancy
• having given birth to an infant weighing more than 9 pounds
• having a disease that hardens the arteries
• recent treatment with glucocorticoids or atypical antipsychotic medications

If a doctor identifies any of these risk factors, they may recommend that the person has a screening to check their blood glucose levels.

Medical professionals advise repeating screening tests every 1–3 years for people with these risk factors.

The NIDDK has an official resource that people can use to check their diabetes risk.

However, anyone who is concerned that they may have borderline diabetes should visit a doctor for testing and a diagnosis.

Prediabetes is reversible, but it is often easier to prevent than treat. Lifestyle factors are the primary cause of prediabetes, and making changes in some aspects of life can significantly reduce the risk.

Diet

Alongside regular exercise, a balanced, nutritious diet that moderates sugar intake can help reverse borderline diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, many people can improve their diet by:

• increasing the intake of unprocessed high fiber carbohydrates
• increasing fruit and vegetable consumption
• reducing the intake of saturated fats and processed meat

Learn more about what to eat with prediabetes.

Physical activity

Exercise is also important. Research shows that regular physical activity may help slow the progression of prediabetes to diabetes.

The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. In addition, they should perform muscle-strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights or doing pushups, at least twice a week.

Examples of moderate-intensity exercise are fast dancing and brisk walking.

Regular exercise and a nutritious diet not only help reduce the risk of developing diabetes but also protect the heart against future diseases.

Combining nutrition and exercise

In addition, there is strong evidence for the benefits of combining exercise and dietary interventions in reducing diabetes risk and reversing prediabetes.

This primarily comes from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which was a long-term study aiming to identify practical steps to prevent diabetes. The people who took part in the DPP Lifestyle Change Program aimed to lose 7% of their body weight and maintain this loss through dietary changes and physical activity.

All of the participants in the program received advice on how to diet and exercise, and they attended lifestyle change classes for the duration of the study.

After 3 years, in comparison with those who took a placebo, people in the program had a 58% drop in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes regardless of sex or ethnicity. Among those aged 60 years and older, the decrease in risk was 71%.

The researchers held regular follow-up sessions. After 15 years, people in the DPP Lifestyle Change Program continued to see a delay in the onset of diabetes compared with people who took a medication called metformin or a placebo.

Anyone who developed diabetes during the study received extra medical care. However, diet and exercise remained important in managing the symptoms and reducing the risk of complications.

Regular monitoring

Managing prediabetes also involves continual monitoring of the risk factors and regular testing of blood sugar levels.

In addition to lifestyle changes, doctors may recommend other ways to minimize the risk of developing diabetes. Medical management may include treating related conditions, such as obesity and heart disease.

Prediabetes is the stage before type 2 diabetes develops. By this stage, blood sugar and insulin resistance may start reaching harmful levels.

Prediabetes does not usually cause active symptoms, and most people will not be aware that they have the condition until it progresses to diabetes and starts causing severe health problems.

Therefore, it is advisable for anyone who is at risk of developing diabetes to undergo regular screening. Risk factors include high BMI and waist circumference, an age of 45 years or older, and the presence of other cardiovascular diseases.

Prediabetes is often reversible with a sustained exercise program and a balanced, low sugar diet.

Below, we answer some commonly asked questions about prediabetes.

Which foods should I eat if I have prediabetes?

Fat and fiber tend to slow absorption and lower what is called the glycemic index (GI) of foods. Low GI fruits and vegetables, such as stone-ground whole wheat bread, rolled or steel-cut oatmeal, nonstarchy vegetables, and whole fruits are good choices. Experts consider a low GI food to have a rating of 55 or less. A person can use this database to find the GI of common foods.

What are the complications of prediabetes?

Even if it does not progress to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes can lead to long-term cardiovascular and kidney damage.

Can children have prediabetes?

In a 2019 study involving 5,786 people, 18% of the 2,606 adolescents — those aged 12–18 years — had prediabetes. Among the 3,180 young adults, the prevalence was 24%.

Many children who develop type 2 diabetes do not receive a diagnosis until adolescence. This is, in part, because puberty hormones can make it harder for the body to regulate insulin. Parents and caregivers can help prevent diabetes in children by encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and engage in plenty of physical activity.

Can prediabetes progress to type 1 diabetes?

Prediabetes refers to a metabolic state that is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. It cannot evolve into type 1 diabetes. However, there is research on a parallel disease called pre-type 1 diabetes, in which a person’s immune system displays certain characteristics that indicate progression to type 1 diabetes.

Learn about the differences between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

How long does it take to reverse prediabetes?

With a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and prescribed medical interventions, a person may be able to reverse prediabetes in about 3 years.

Blood glucose (sugar): norm and interpretation

Glucose is one of the most important blood components, its amount reflects the state of carbohydrate metabolism. Glucose itself is a representative of the group of simple sugars. It is noteworthy that it is almost evenly distributed between blood cells and plasma, although its content in plasma is slightly higher. Also, the concentration of glucose in arterial blood is higher than in venous blood, which is explained by the process of its absorption by cells.

Glucose for the body is the main and universal source of energy, which provides metabolic processes. Nerve cells generally function only on the condition that there is a certain amount of glucose in the blood . In addition, it is part of some complex molecules, such as glycoproteins. Glucose comes from food, and the plant source glucose is starch, and the animal source is glycogen (a polysaccharide in which glucose is accumulated and stored in living organisms, including humans). In the intestines, these polysaccharides are broken down to glucose and enter the bloodstream.

Blood glucose levels are regulated by hormones and the central nervous system . Various hormones can increase its content in the blood. These are: glucagon, cortisol, adrenaline, somatotropin and thyroid hormones (eg thyroxine). Their action is to release glucose from glycogen, which is accumulated in the muscles and liver, prevent the formation of new glycogen and block the action of insulin. Only one hormone significantly affects the reduction of glucose – insulin . Insulin has receptors in muscle and adipose tissue of the body, so it acts on most of the body. Its action is opposite to the aforementioned hormones – it stimulates the formation of glycogen and triglycerides (another form of glucose storage, which is found in fat cells) and promotes the transfer of glucose from the blood to body tissues.

Normal blood glucose depends on age:

9003 0

Age	Plasma glucose
	mmol/l	mg/dl
Newborns	2. 8-4.4	50-115
Children	3.9-5.8	70-105
Adults 5 The concentration of glucose in the blood is mainly maintained by the “glucose-insulin-glucagon” mechanism. “. It works like this: after eating, the glucose level rises, in response to this, the pancreas produces the necessary amount of insulin, which converts excess glucose into glycogen. If additional energy is needed (physical or emotional stress, stress, etc.), the pancreas synthesizes glucagon, which, on the contrary, releases glucose from stored glycogen. As long as this mechanism is working properly, blood glucose levels are within the normal range. In some conditions and diseases, the level of glucose in the blood increases ( hyperglycemia ) or decreases ( hypoglycemia ). Most often, elevated blood glucose levels are observed in patients with diabetes mellitus. In addition, hyperglycemia is possible with lesions of the central nervous system, increased hormonal activity of the thyroid gland, as well as adrenal and pituitary glands, with injuries and brain tumors, epilepsy, carbon monoxide poisoning, and as a result of emotional and mental arousal. Sometimes pregnant women have consistently elevated blood glucose levels – gestational diabetes mellitus . According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), to diagnose diabetes mellitus , only the results of a study of fasting venous blood plasma are used , and the results are decoded as follows: Normal concentration – up to 6.1 mmol / l; Impaired glycemia – from 6.1 mmol/l to 7 mmol/l; Preliminary diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is more than 7 mmol/l, provided that other criteria are present that are appropriate for the disease (see below). WHO criteria for diabetes (at least one is sufficient): The following symptoms are observed: ), weight loss and increased glucose concentration in the blood up to 11. 1 mmol / l; Fasting blood glucose ( no food for at least 8 hours ) greater than 7.1 mmol/l; Blood glucose level 2 hours after ingestion of 75 g of glucose is greater than 11.1 mmol/l. Glucose tolerance test with load to glucose . In addition, this test is prescribed to patients with a high risk of developing diabetes, when there are patients with this disease among close relatives, or there are risk factors: obesity, hypertension. To perform a glucose tolerance test the patient must receive food containing at least 125 g of carbohydrates per day for 3 days . 10-14 hours before blood sampling, the patient should fast . The first analysis is taken in the morning, after which they give an adult patient “ load ” – 75 g of glucose dissolved in a glass of water (for children, the dose is 1.75 g of glucose per kilogram, but not more than 75 g). After 2 hours, blood is taken again for research. Oral glucose tolerance test results (with analysis 2 hours after exercise) are interpreted as follows: Normal tolerance – blood glucose level after exercise is lower by 7.8 mmol/l; Impaired tolerance – blood glucose after exercise is in the range of 7.8-11.1 mmol/l; Preliminary diagnosis “diabetes mellitus” – blood glucose after exercise more than 11.1 mmol/l; Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using a different regimen for the glucose tolerance test with a load of . The procedure is carried out at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy as follows: Step 1 . Without prior fasting, the pregnant woman takes 50 g of glucose, after which the blood glucose is measured an hour later. If it is more than 7.8 mmol / l (various authoritative organizations also offer a limit of 7. 5 mmol / l and 7.2 mmol / l), then go to the second step, if less, then the diagnosis is not made. Step 2 . After an 8-hour fast, the glucose level is measured and the pregnant woman takes 100 g of glucose, after which its concentration in the blood is measured after 1, 2 and 3 hours. Diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made if at least two of the following four trials reach or exceed the normal limit 034
Fasting	5 ,3-5.8
After 1 hour	10.0-10.6
After 2 hours	8.6-9.2
After 3 hours	7.8 -8.0

.

Hypoglycemia is a dangerous condition that often occurs as a result of an overdose of insulin in patients with diabetes mellitus. In addition, a decrease in blood glucose levels can be observed with carbohydrate absorption disorders that are associated with various diseases of the stomach and intestines, with insufficient secretion of adrenal hormones, or with a rare form of pancreatic cancer – insuloma. Chronic liver diseases associated with impaired glycogen synthesis can also manifest themselves hypoglycemia . Sometimes hypoglycemia is observed in diseases of the central nervous system.

What is diabetes type 1 diabetes

Definition of diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a whole group of diseases, the main symptom of which is high
blood glucose level (or scientifically hyperglycemia: “hyper” – large, “glyc” – sweet,
“emia” – blood).

The name of the disease – DIABETES – comes from the Greek “diabayo” – “flow, flow out”, because
one of the symptoms of the disease is the excretion of a large amount of urine (scientifically, this
called polyuria: “poly” – a lot, “uria” – urine).

People living with diabetes who control their blood sugar can live just as well as people without it.

How to say: “glucose” or “sugar”?

Despite the fact that in life you probably often heard “blood sugar”, “increase in sugar in
blood”, it is more correct to say “glucose”. Glycemia is the medical term for the level of glucose in the blood.

Types of diabetes mellitus:

• Type 2 diabetes is most common and type 1 diabetes is less common;
• there are more rare types of diabetes mellitus, for example, diabetes mellitus that develops as a result of diseases of the pancreas, other endocrine glands, taking certain medications;
• A special variant is diabetes mellitus that occurs during pregnancy (gestational diabetes mellitus).

Can diabetes be cured?

Diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2 are chronic diseases in which full recovery
impossible. At the same time, methods of effective control and treatment have been developed.
both diabetes mellitus 1 and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the main goal is to learn
control diabetes. This is a guarantee of reducing the risk of development and
progression of complications, in other words – a guarantee of a long and fulfilling life.

Normal blood glucose

In a healthy person, fasting blood glucose (in the morning, after a night
fasting for 8-14 hours) does not exceed 6.1 mmol / l, and 2 hours after
intake of any food does not exceed – 7.8 mmol / l.

The unit of measurement “mmol/l” (millimoles per liter) is used in most countries of the world.

Some countries also use mg/dL (milligram per deciliter) or mg/%
(milligram as a percentage), which is the equivalent. You can convert mmol/l to ml/dl using
help ratio 18:

• 5.5 mmol/l x 18 = 100 mg/dl;
• 100 mg/dL : 18 = 5.5 mmol/L.

Whole blood and plasma glucose levels (obtained after centrifugation of blood in
laboratory) is not the same. The levels of glucose in the capillary (taken from the finger) and
venous blood (taken from a vein). All blood glucose values ​​that will be used on this
site, will be given for plasma.

The main goal of diabetes management is to learn how to control it. This is a guarantee
long and fulfilling life

Regulation of glucose metabolism in a healthy body

Glucose is in the blood of every person, since it is the main source of energy.

How does glucose get into the blood?

There are 2 ways:
the first is intake from food containing carbohydrates,
the second is from the liver, where glucose (glycogen) is stored.

In order to be used as energy, glucose from the blood must enter the cells: into the muscles (for work), adipose tissue or liver (to form a store of glucose in the body).

How does glucose get into cells?
This occurs under the action of the hormone insulin, which is produced by b-cells of the pancreas.
glands. After eating, the level of glucose in the blood rises, the pancreas instantly throws out
insulin into the blood, which, in turn, acts like a “key”: it connects with
receptors (“keyholes”) on the cells of muscle, adipose or liver tissue and
“opens” these cells for glucose to enter them. Glucose moves into cells and its level
decreases in the blood. Between meals and at night, if necessary, glucose
enters the blood from the depot – the liver, so at night insulin controls the liver so that it does not
released too much glucose into the blood.

Let us dwell on the development of the most common types of diabetes mellitus: type 1 diabetes
and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Despite the almost identical name, they are completely different
diseases.

What do we know about type 1 diabetes?

Prevalence of diabetes
The percentage of people living with type 1 diabetes is less than 10% of all people
with SD. This type of diabetes most often occurs in childhood, adolescence, or adolescence.
age (up to 30 years). A “bright” clinical picture of the onset of the disease with
severe symptoms of hyperglycemia: weight loss, weakness, thirst, excretion
a large amount of urine, the presence of acetone in the urine, the smell of acetone in exhaled
air, sometimes – coma.

The reason for the development of the disease is the cessation of insulin production.
This is due to the death of pancreatic b-cells – they are destroyed by their own immune system.
system. The exact reason for this aggression is still unknown. Exists
genetic predisposition to type 1 diabetes, which is manifested by the interaction
with a provoking factor (viral infections, for example).

When 80 – 90% of b-cells are destroyed, absolute insulin deficiency occurs
Thus, glucose cannot enter the cells. Blood glucose level
rises, while the cells suffer from energy deficiency. To fill it up
the breakdown of one’s own fats begins, however, in the process, extremely toxic
ketone bodies, the body is exposed to intoxication. If you do not make up the deficit
insulin, then an extremely serious complication develops – diabetic ketoacidosis or
ketoacidotic coma.

Lifelong insulin administration
The only way to maintain normal blood sugar levels in diabetes
type 1 diabetes is lifelong insulin administration. Essentially, this
replacement therapy, which should make up for the deficiency of the missing hormone.

Despite the almost identical names, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are completely different diseases.

What do we know about type 2 diabetes?

Prevalence of diabetes
The percentage of people living with type 2 diabetes is more than 90% of all
patients with DM. This type of diabetes develops mainly in adulthood.
(usually after 40 years), although this disease is now increasingly
diagnosed in young people.

Overweight
The vast majority of patients are overweight or obese.

Inheritance
There is a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes among immediate family members.

Gradual development
The disease begins gradually, is asymptomatic for a long time, often
diagnosed by chance. The appearance of ketone bodies and the development of diabetic
ketoacidosis (in which acetone is excreted in the urine and when exhaled) is not typical,
however, there is another complication – a hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state.

Insulin resistance
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin. However, first of all, the body
becomes less susceptible to insulin. Normally you need 1 molecule of insulin
(conditionally) to “open” cells for glucose, and in type 2 diabetes, such molecules are needed in
several times more. One of the main reasons for this is obesity – fat does not
insulin to properly bind to insulin receptors. Secondly,
insulin is not produced in the right amount and at the right time, but over time
getting smaller and smaller.

Healthy lifestyle
Treatment options for type 2 diabetes include lifestyle changes aimed at
for weight loss (healthy diet, physical activity) in combination with intake / administration
hypoglycemic agents and/or insulin.

Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus can only be established by a doctor, confirmation of the diagnosis requires
conducting additional research. These studies include:

• Fasting plasma glucose test (fasting means fasting for 8-14 hours, drinking water is allowed)
• Plasma glucose determination at a “random point”, i.e. completely independent of
  what you did before (eating, drinking, physical activity). This test
  carried out if you have symptoms of the disease, so as not to wait for the next day
  and decide on a diagnosis
• Determination of plasma glucose levels 2 hours after glucose loading. Under load”
  involves taking on an empty stomach a solution of 75 g of glucose in 200-300 ml of water. This test is called
  oral glucose tolerance test
• Determination of the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). HbA1c is an indicator of “average”
  blood glucose levels for the last 3 months, so this test can be performed at any
  time of day

It can be said that the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is not only a laboratory diagnosis, but also a “mathematical” one:
usually, if an increased value is detected, the test must be repeated in another
day, i. e. you need to get 2 increased values. This is especially true when
absence of symptoms.

However, in type 1 diabetes, the symptoms are usually very severe, so the diagnosis can often be
set when one elevated blood glucose level was detected.

Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus requires a laboratory
confirmation and, if an increased value is detected, the test should be repeated.

Elevated blood glucose

Elevated blood glucose is called hyperglycemia. What’s wrong with leveling up
blood glucose? The constant high level of glucose, firstly, is accompanied by poor
well-being, and, secondly, leads to the development of complications of diabetes – damage
eyes, kidneys, heart, legs, nerves, sexual dysfunction.

What are the symptoms of diabetes (high blood glucose)? Appearance and expression
symptoms are determined by the level of glucose in the blood – the higher it is, the more
a number of symptoms are present and they are more pronounced. With type 1 diabetes, the symptoms are bright
expressed, type 2 diabetes can be asymptomatic and be detected absolutely
accidentally.

The classic symptoms of type 1 diabetes are:

Dramatic weight loss

Fatigue
and weakness

Increased feelings of hunger and thirst*

Passing large amounts of urine

Dryness
and itchy skin

Frequent
infections

Blurred vision

Slow wound healing

Tingling and numbness of fingers

After initiation of insulin therapy, once normal blood glucose levels are reached, most symptoms disappear.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute complication of diabetes
developing in case of prolonged elevated blood sugar levels. Typically, DKA
does not develop suddenly and imperceptibly, it can be prevented.

Diabetic ketoacidosis can develop in any type of DM, but is more common in DM 1
type than for type 2 SD.

DKA develops at the onset of type 1 diabetes, and later on with
insufficient administration of insulin or discontinuation of treatment, with the addition of concomitant
inflammatory or infectious diseases. Insulin deficiency leads to the fact that the level
blood glucose rises sharply, the breakdown of fats also begins, as a result of which
toxic ketone bodies (acetone) are formed. This process is accompanied by the excretion of acetone in the urine.
and when breathing – therefore, a specific smell appears.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious condition that, if diagnosed late and left untreated, can lead to coma and even death.

Low blood glucose
medications or insulin may drop below normal. Such a state is called
hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia (“hypo” – low, “glyc” –
sweet, “emia” – blood) – this is the level of glucose in the blood
≤ 3.9mmol/l.

Unlike hyperglycemia, which develops gradually, hypoglycemia is an acute, sudden onset condition. Hypoglycemia can have different manifestations, however, each person living with diabetes has its own “set” of symptoms, and most people feel the approach of hypoglycemia well (the so-called symptoms are “harbingers”).

Symptoms of hypoglycemia that occur first:

heartbeat

Shiver

Pallor*

Nervousness and anxiety

Sweating*

Hunger

Nightmares

Symptoms that increase as the glucose level continues to decrease:

• weakness;
• fatigue;
• decreased concentration*;
• dizziness;
• visual and speech disorders*;
• behavior change*;
• convulsions*;
• loss of consciousness (hypoglycemic coma).

* These symptoms will be noticeable to others.

In detail the causes of hypoglycemia and how to treat and prevent it will be
discussed in the corresponding lesson.

What is the management of type 1 diabetes and what is meant by diabetes management?

A doctor will not always be there, and in life situations constantly arise that require
solutions. It is impossible to “give up” on diabetes mellitus, it “will not resolve”.
Doctors always say that at least 2/3, and even 4/5 success in the treatment of diabetes
depends on the person living with diabetes. Therefore, education at the School of Diabetes
will allow you to learn all the rules and subtleties of life with type 1 diabetes.

It is very important to take an active part in diabetes management.