Simple treatment of diabetes

photo Utusan

Just imagine how your life if lost senses of sight, using a wheelchair due to a stroke or gangrene leg (leg cut) in addition to high-risk heart attack while not yet reached 40 years of age.

That's what awaits diabetes patients due to failing to control the disease, whether through lifestyle changes, not wanting to take medication or take traditional medicine will.

Situation is exacerbated if among them were diagnosed with diabetes from an early age.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic problem that causes the syndrome level high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) whether due to production problems (diabetes first type) or function (sensitivity) of insulin (diabetes or gestational diabetes of the second kind).

Most adults have diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM).

However, many people with T2DM can not control the disease with anti-diabetic drugs, respectively, they run the risk of complications.

Professor of Diabetes Medicine University of Leicester, Professor Melanie Davies told at least 67 percent of people with T2DM risk of deterioration of renal function is high and about 30 percent have experienced deterioration in the United States.

Meanwhile, eight to 10 diabetic patients with renal impairment have a higher risk of serious complications such as hypoglycemia and cardiovascular disease conditions.

"Therefore, patients in dire need of oral anti-diabetic drugs (OAD) that can be trusted with the safety profile and better tolerance of an easy to use regardless of the patient's renal function.

"Most of the OAD is not recommended or require dose adjustment and close monitoring for creating significant barriers to people with T2DM with the deterioration," he said at the launch of the drug (T2DM) newest Trajenta by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

Trajenta is approved as a treatment of diabetes medication dosage strength (five milligrams, once a day) for adult patients. The Drug Control Authority (DCA) under the Ministry of Health has approved Trajenta as recommended in adult patients with T2DM to improve glycemic control together with diet and exercise, as monotherapy single treatment or in addition to metformin, sulfonylureas or metformin and sulfonylureas.

Add Professor Melanie, Trajenta can be taken with a dose for all patients regardless of kidney or liver failure.

"It offers the benefits afforded by DPP-4 inhibitor class with the efficacy and good tolerance and neutral in terms of weight and create a low risk of hypoglycemia and also provides the added advantage of no dose adjustment regardless of the patient's kidney and liver function," he said.

These positive developments are sure to delight people with T2DM, especially in Asia because the spread of diabetes has increased from two to five times in the last two decades compared to 1.5 times in the West.

Furthermore, due to the side effects associated with inappropriate OAD, patients may find it difficult to comply with the recommended treatment. Compliance rates of patients with T2DM is between 65 percent to 85 percent for the OAD and 60 percent to 80 percent for insulin.

"Trajenta provide a variety of benefits that are effective and appropriate for most people with T2DM," said Managing Director of Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia Sdn. Limited., Cheong YK.

He added that many people with diabetes are often concerned about weight gain or hypoglycemia which reduces compliance with medication.

"Trajenta no effect on weight when used as monotherapy and can be taken at any time, with or without food, providing better control of T2DM without compromising patient care," he added.


reference - Utusan

Diabetes and fasting

image credit to maryvancenc.com

Fasting in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) depending on personal decisions.

But they should seek advice based on specific guidelines through discussions with health professionals.

T2DM diabetes is most common, but which comprises about 90 percent of diabetes patients around the world.

Senior Consultant Medicine and Endocrinology, Professor Dr. Nor Azmi Kamaruddin said, whether high or low risk patients had complications related to the practice of fasting depends on the level of their disease.

"For example, diabetics who experience severe hipoglesemia or blood sugar is very low making the patient unconscious or requires a third party within three months before Ramadan.

"Or the patients with a history of repeated hipoglesemia categorized as high risk and should not fast during Ramadan," he said. Nor Azmi.

He said studies conducted observations in five countries found that nearly 20 percent of patients with T2DM who are Muslims have the highest hipoglesemia by 45 per cent of Malaysia (24 per cent, UAE (18 per cent, India (13 [percent) and Saudi Arabia (10peratus) .

"It is estimated there are 1.2 million people with diabetes in Malaysia and more than half of them do not realize that they may have diabetes until severe diabetes develop complications such as blindness, kidney disease, nerve disease, cardiovascular disease or stroke.

"In addition, Survey of the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey, conducted in 2006 showed that, naturally significantly higher in urban than rural areas," he said.

Clearly, based on disease prevalence rates, Malaysians should not be nonchalant about monitoring blood sugar levels.

"They should eat moderately at the appropriate time. This is why fasting is quite challenging for people with diabetes who are Muslims.

"Fast foods are generally open with, but this is not recommended for diabetics because it can cause blood sugar levels increased dramatically," he said.

He said, since the drug should be eaten after a meal, patients with diabetes should not fast if they do not pre-dawn meal.

"They will be in the body for some time, causing decreased blood sugar levels if they do not eat. This will result in dizziness, drowsiness, tremors and headaches," he said. Nor Azmi.

He said Hipoglesemia or low blood sugar occurs when blood glucose levels to become too low for the body needs.

"Long intervals between meals with certain diabetes medications are risk factors that cause hipoglesemia.

"It is therefore important blood sugar level checked more frequently during a fast to better public health," he said.

Hipoglesemia he said, must be avoided because it can cause severe medical problems.

"If left untreated, can result in the loss of hipoglesemia aware or seizures that requires emergency treatment," he said.

He added that low blood sugar can occur even if a person to do all they can to manage diabetes.

"The level of low blood sugar is most often caused by certain diabetes, do not eat regularly or the work of more than usual.

"To reduce this risk, follow a regular eating schedule, and schedule of physical activity and regular medication. Discuss with the team of health experts to set a target blood sugar levels," he said. Nor Azmi.



reference Utusan Online

Health tips of the day

If you want healthier life, please do not exceed 7 teaspoon full of sugar for daily intake. Reduce sugar for better life, avoid diabetes.

Scary fact of the day

1 teaspoon contains 20 calories of energy, requires us to climb up to 14 levels to get it burned ..  

How much sugar that we take in a day?

Fact : Malaysia is rank no. 4 suffering diabetes in the world

That is really scary statistic isn't it? Too bad to admit that Malaysian eating habit are considered as extremely addicted to sugar. We can't escape for too sweet beverages such as teh tarik (milky sweet tea) and kopi 'o' (sweet black coffee).

To make it worse, most of the foods contains sugar and we do eat lots of pasteries in our daily intake.

Better stop our eating habit before the diabetes become our number one killer in Malaysia!

World Diabetes Day : 285 million people with diabetes!

World Diabetes Day is today

Today November 14, is declared as World Diabetes Day. An official United Nation's World Health Day, World Diabetes Day marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who, along with Dr. Charles Best, co-discovered insulin in 1921. Why we have to aware about diabetes? Diabetes is quite common in our life, but many people don’t really bother about amount of sugar they had in a day.

Diabetes is really scary if you know the fact that currently 285 million of people around the world now facing the problem. To make it worse, 2/3 of diabetes epidemic died of heart attack.

We should be more careful with the amount of sugar taken in a day and eating habits. Be aware that diabetes are killing us slowly. Today, not only elderly are having diabetes. In some cases, younger age is also having diabetes, which normally related to obesity.