What is Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes Mellitus is a Metabolic disorder, characterized by hyperglycemia due to absolute or relative deficiency of insulin.

In simple words : insulin produced by pancreas is necessary for maintaining normal blood sugar levels. When insulin production is less, sugar level in body increases.

What is Normal Blood Glucose Level ?

*Prediabetic is a state where you don’t have diabetes yet, but you are at increased risk of developing diabetes.

When to suspect Diabetes?

Clues for Diabetes in Children:

• Unexplained weight loss.
• Loss of appetite.
• Frequent headache, Constipation, Abdominal pain.
• Candidal Diaper rashes in infants & toddlers.
• Vulvo vaginal candidiasis in teenage girls

Clues for Diabetes in Adults:

• Osmotic symptoms : Polyurea: frequent urination, Polydispya: increased thrist
• Nocturia (increased frequency of urination in night)
• Weight loss
• Headache
• Guiddiness
• Easy fatigability/Weakness
• Frequent vaginal infections and urinary infections
• Tingling,numbness in legs, fingers and toes
• Frequent muscle cramps

Who are at risk?

• Family History of diabetes
• Overweight (BMI>23.5)
• Physical inactivity
• Previously identified as prediabetic
• Hypertension (Bp greater than 140/90 mmHg)
• Increased blood cholesterol
• H/o raised sugar level in pregnancy or H/O giving birth to baby weighing greater than or equal to 9 pounds(4kgs)
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS)

Lab values to confirm diabetes

ADA Diagnostic criteria:

• HbA₁C >= 6.5% (NGSP Certified onethod and standardized to DCCT assay)
• FBS >= 126 mg/dl (Fasting defined as no calorie intake for >= 8 hours)
• 2 hour post prandial >=  200 mg/dl during 75g OGTT.
• RBS >= 200mg/dl in persons with symptoms of hyperglycemia.

Don’t Forget to go through this link..

Busted : Eat fruits and cure diabetes (Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury exposed)