What You Need to Know About Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body fails to properly control the amount of sugar in the blood. It is caused by a disruption in the body’s production or use of the hormone insulin, which is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy.

While the cause of diabetes is not entirely understood, known risk factors for developing the disease are linked both to genetic and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise.

In the United States, nearly 7% of the population has some form of diabetes. Unfortunately nearly a third of these people are not aware they have the disease. One of the reasons it goes undiagnosed is because many of its symptoms seem harmless. Symptoms may include frequent urination, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, unusual weight loss, fatigue, irritability, and blurry vision.

Left untreated, however, severe consequences may develop in almost every system of the body. Severe untreated diabetes may lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), blindness, sexual dysfunction, hearing loss, neurological deficits, coma, and death.

There are multiple ways to screen for diabetes. The easiest is a random blood glucose test. If the test results are greater than 200 mg/dl, then there is a suspicion of diabetes. Since blood sugar may vary throughout the day, if an abnormal blood glucose level (higher than 200 mg/dl) is detected during a random blood screening, it is recommended that the individual undergo a more comprehensive blood glucose test at a doctor’s office that will involve fasting beforehand.

Many people are never screened for diabetes until they have serious complications. If you have not been screened, consider asking your doctor during your next visit. The medics at Arlington County Fire Stations can provide a free random blood glucose test, but you should also follow this test up with a more comprehensive blood glucose test at a doctor’s office to confirm your average blood sugar levels.