DIABETES MELLITUS

• Chronic health condition – a metabolic disorder –
hyperglycemia.

• High blood glucose (blood sugar) level either due to
inadequate insulin production or the body’s
cells do not respond
properly to insulin or both.
 Over time leads to serious damage to nerves, blood vessels – heart disease, vision
loss, & kidney disease etc.

• No cure – can only be controlled.
 Treatment of diabetes:
 Diet
 Physical activity
 Lowering of blood glucose
 Lowering the levels of other known risk factors that
damage blood vessels.

• Precaution – losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active.

• WHO:
 In 2014 – 422 million people worldwide have diabetes.
 Majority living in low- and middle-income countries – India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Indonesia.
 Diabetes directly attributed to 1.6 million deaths each year.
 Deaths from diabetes increased by 70% globally between 2000 and 2019.
 80% rise in deaths among males.

• India – among the top 10 countries – second with
69.2 million people with diabetes.

• Global Non-Communicable Disease targets
 Globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025.

Gestational diabetes

• Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) with onset or first recognition during pregnancy.

• Pregnant women without a previous diagnosis of
diabetes develop a high blood glucose level

. • Author – pregnancy is a diabetogenic stress.

• Usually goes away after baby is born.

• Issues

 May lead to Type 2 diabetes.
 Women with it are at increased risk of complications during pregnancy and at delivery.
 Women and their children – increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in the future.
 Other health risks
 These conditions contribute to high maternal and new born morbidity
and mortality.

OPED article

• Women of Indian (South Asian) origin – considered
to be at highest risk of gestational diabetes.
 International Diabetes Federation – up to 25%
of pregnancies in South Asia may be affected by
hyperglycemia in pregnancy.
 India – 10% in rural areas and 30% in urban areas.

• Public awareness is very less.

• Low awareness and capacity within the health
systems for testing and providing care – despite
the availability of national guidelines and diagnosis
and management of gestational diabetes by MoHFW.
• Suggestion – implement the
recommendation of Diabetes Study Group of India, the Federation of Obstetric and
Gynaecological Societies of India and the South Asia Initiative for Diabetes In
Pregnancy.
 Observe a National Gestational Diabetes
Awareness Day on March 10 – birthday of Dr. V. Seshiah, service and contributed to the field of diabetes and
pregnancy for more than 40 years.