The fact that there is no cure for diabetes makes it a dangerous disease. Although it cannot be cured, it can undoubtedly be managed. But what if you’ve already started showing signs of unbalanced blood sugar levels? Well, this initial stage is known as prediabetes. Fortunately, prediabetes can be reversed. By making lifestyle changes and keeping a moderate weight, you can delay the onset of prediabetes and diabetes. Although these two conditions are different from each other, people often assume that they are similar. That’s why we are here to explain how to differentiate between prediabetes and diabetes.
Health Shots contacted Dr. Aniket Mulay, Consultant Internal Medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals Mira Road, Mumbai to understand the difference between prediabetes and diabetes.
According to Mule, diabetes is a condition of too much sugar in the blood (high blood sugar). While prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar is high but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes, is considered a sign that a person is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Know here the difference between prediabetes and diabetes
While the cases of diabetes are increasing continuously around the world, the risk of people having prediabetes is also increasing rapidly.
Prediabetes:
“Prediabetes means that blood sugar levels are higher than the recommended range, but not high enough to indicate diabetes,” says Dr. Muley. Simply put, it is a pre-diabetes condition. Therefore, it is serious and will require timely attention. It can slowly progress to clinical diabetes mellitus if not controlled and controlled.
Prediabetes side effects:
People with prediabetes are more likely to have heart disease and stroke. The risk of serious health problems is even greater for people with diabetes.
Symptoms of Prediabetes:
Many people with prediabetes have no symptoms, so regular checkups are needed to detect it. However you may experience:
- extreme hunger
- extreme thirst
- fatigue
- frequent urination
- weight gain
diabetes:
Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, can be said to be a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar levels. Dr. Muley says, “This occurs when one’s body fails to take sugar (glucose) into their cells and use it for energy. Thus, there will be too much sugar in the bloodstream. This is a known fact. that unmanaged diabetes causes heart, kidney, eye and neurological problems and eventually leads to death.”
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Side effects of diabetes:
A person suffering from uncontrolled diabetes may suffer from heart attack, stroke, narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), nerve damage, kidney damage requiring dialysis, eye damage i.e. retinopathy, bacterial and fungal infections and even depression could.
Symptoms of Diabetes:
- hunger and fatigue
- frequent urination and thirst
- dry mouth and itchy skin
- blurred vision
In the case of type 2 diabetes, you may also experience:
- yeast infection
- slow healing wounds
- pain or numbness in your legs or feet
When faced with type 1 diabetes, you may also experience:
- unexplained weight loss
- nausea and vomiting
Who is at risk of prediabetes and diabetes?
There are some common risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes. The risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes are:
- Age (above 45 years)
- being overweight or obese
- having a family history of diabetes
- lack of physical activity
- having gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
“It is imperative to manage abnormal blood sugar levels with the help of medication, a balanced diet, and exercise,” says Dr. Muley.
