Correct understanding of diabetes

Diabetes is a "sweet killer" that threatens human health. my country has become the world's largest country with diabetes. In 2017, the prevalence of diabetes among Chinese adults was 12.8%, with an estimated total number of patients of about 129.8 million. The proportion of prediabetes was as high as 35.2%, and it is showing a trend of getting younger and younger.

1. What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic, systemic, metabolic, progressive disease characterized by elevated blood sugar. It is a disorder of sugar, fat, and protein metabolism caused by defective insulin secretion and/or impaired action.

2. What are the clinical manifestations of diabetes?

The typical symptoms of diabetes are “three mores and one less”, namely: drinking more, eating more, urinating more, and weight loss.

Atypical symptoms of diabetes: itchy skin, hunger, blurred vision, fatigue, decreased vision, susceptibility to infection, numbness of hands and feet, oral diseases, etc.

Many diabetic patients do not have the typical "three mores and one less" symptoms. Some only have "two mores", some only have "one more", and some only show atypical symptoms of diabetes. Some people even find that their blood sugar is high during a physical examination, but they do not have any symptoms. In short, the manifestations of diabetes are varied and can be very obvious or very hidden.

Diabetes is currently incurable, and its complications reduce the quality of life of patients, increase disability and mortality, and increase the economic burden on families and the overall consumption of medical resources in society. Diabetes is controllable and preventable. If patients can maintain an optimistic attitude, actively cooperate with medical staff, take the initiative to learn the knowledge and skills of diabetes self-management, adhere to a healthy diet, regular exercise and medication, and regularly monitor blood sugar, they can control diabetes well.