November 14th marks World Diabetes Day, established in 1991 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). This date's main objective is to increase the population's awareness of this disease that affects many people around the world, also serving to draw the attention of health professionals.
Diabetes is a chronic disease, which is characterized by an increase in blood glucose, leading to hyperglycemia. Increased blood sugar levels are due to insufficient insulin production, due to ineffective insulin action. Insulin allows glucose to pass from the bloodstream to cells, thus allowing insulin to open a “gate” for glucose to enter. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, and normally pancreatic cells produce insulin in sufficient quantities in relation to blood glucose levels.
Diabetes currently affects more than 415 million people worldwide. In Portugal, there are more than 1 million Portuguese people. It is predicted that, by 2040, the number of diabetics could reach 642 million people worldwide, including the various types of diabetes such as type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and MODY type diabetes.
The symptoms of Diabetes appear suddenly, with the following symptoms: tiredness, hunger, blurred vision, excessive thirst and dry mouth, successive infections, among others. There may be complications that can affect several organs, such as: kidneys, coronary veins, vascular system, among others. Depending on the type of diabetes, there are several types of treatments, such as type 1 diabetes, which can be controlled with the administration of insulin, a balanced diet, physical exercise, among others. And type 2 diabetes can be controlled by following a controlled diet, changing your lifestyle and taking medication.