Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot make adequate use of sugar in the blood. Instead of going to the body’s cells where it is used for energy, sugar builds up in the blood. As a result, people with diabetes feel tired and lack energy. The buildup of blood sugar gradually and eventually damages the kidneys, nerves, eyes, and heart.
People with diabetes are thus in greater danger of:
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Heart disease
- Sexual dysfunction
What is pre-diabetes?
Before developing full-blown diabetes, people most always have pre-diabetes. The good news is that diabetes can be prevented with lifestyle modifications. While doctors have always known about pre-disease, today, there are defined biomarkers for pre-diabetes, which are clear indicators for impending full-blown diabetes.
Complications of diabetes begin in pre-diabetes stage
People with full-blown diabetes can have kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and early sexual dysfunction. These complications begin developing early in pre-diabetes.
Dual Patho-physiologies in Diabetes
Two-patho-physiologies begin at the same time in the body triggering the onset of diabetes. These patho-physiologies progress continuously unless you intervene early to stop the progress.
Insulin Resistance or Glucose Intolerance is the first patho-physiology which occurs when our body’s sensitivity to its own insulin reduces over time. The problem begins as we get older and also in patients who are slightly over-weight or have a family history of diabetes. Our body’s response to this problem is to make the Beta-cells in the Pancreas, which produce insulin to produce more and more insulin as the body feels that there is not enough insulin. This causes the Beta-cells to “burn-out” and results in the inability to produce adequate amounts of insulin. This patho-physiology is called Beta-cell Insufficiency.
How can you screen for pre-diabetes?
Detection of pre-diabetes is crucial as early intervention can help reduce the progression of disease. We can determine whether you have pre-diabetes using any of the standard tests: Fasting Plasma Glucose test (FPG); Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) or Glycosylated Hemoglobin Test (HbA1c).

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