Background knowledge about diabetes mellitus
Diabetes – epidemic proportions
Diabetes is becoming more and more widespread. Many people know little about their illness as it does not hurt. The consequences, however, can be dramatic. How can you live with diabetes, what can you do, what should you do, and what must you do to maintain your quality of life and to prevent late complications?What is diabetes?
In healthy individuals, the body's own hormone insulin ensures that sugar from the food we eat reaches the body's cells. In diabetics, the blood sugar level is constantly raised.
- Types of diabetes >> more
- How many people are affected?
According to the International Diabetes Federation, about 250 million people world-wide suffer from diabetes, with the figure expected to rise by 2025 to 380 million. Someone dies every ten seconds from the consequences of diabetes. Further information: www.idf.org and www.unitefordiabetes.org - Symptoms
The symptoms of diabetes mellitus depend on the extent to which the metabolism has changed and the degree of insulin deficiency. >> more - Acute complications
Acute complications of diabetes can be life-threatening, but can be easily avoided through education and training. >> more - Laboratory tests for diabetics
Diabetics should be tested regularly, in order to prevent late complications. >> more - Late complications
Cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke, blocking of the arteries in the legs), kidney failure, loss of sight, foot amputations and impotence are some of the typical late complications. >> more
Living with diabetes
- Treatment options
The aim of any diabetes treatment is to adjust the blood glucose level to values approaching those of a healthy individual. >> more - Blood glucose measurement
Regular measurement is the only way to identify fluctuations in blood glucose levels, allowing diet, daily routine and medication to be better tailored to the patient and late complications to be avoided. Self-monitoring allows excessively high and excessively low blood glucose levels to be identified reliably. >> more - Diabetes and sport
Regular physical exercise can make medication unnecessary or ensure that less medication is needed. The most suitable forms of exercise are endurance sports such as cycling, swimming or walking. In principal, all forms of sport are possible for diabetics, with the right training. >> more - Diabetes and work
Diabetics are usually integrated into working life. There are certain points which should be noted, however. >> more - Diabetes and travel
Well-informed diabetics can travel without any problems if they are properly prepared. >> more - Diabetes and diet
Diabetics should follow the recommendations of their doctor and/or diabetes counselor and watch what they eat. Nowadays the emphasis is on a balanced healthy diet rather than a special diabetic diet. Knowledge of carbohydrate exchange, carbohydrates, types of sugar and sweeteners is helpful.
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