World Diabetes Day: Experts Advance Proper Care As Way Out

HEALTH MATTERS

WITH FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

Four per cent of the population of the State of Osun and 1.4 million Nigerians are suffering from one form of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) or the other.

This information was made known by a panel of discussants during a talk show on Rave 91.7 FM, Osogbo to mark the World Diabetes Day, 2018.

The discussants include Doctors Olakemi Yusuf, Titilope Bamikefa and Adebiyi Obasanjo, Senior Registrars in the Departments of Endocrinology, Nephronology and Cardiology respectively, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo.

According to Dr. Olakemi Yusuf, a Consultant Endocrinologist, there are different types of DM but the commonest ones are the types 1 and 2 which arise due to genetics and obesity.

Dr. Adebiyi Obasanjo, a Senior Registrar in the Cardiology Department of LAUTECH, Osogbo disclosed that Diabetes Mellitus is a predisposing factor for hypertension.

He stated that apart from the risk of developing hypertension, the blood vessel in the body could be affected, especially those supplying blood to the heart.

As a result, he explained that these blood vessels can get blocked and thereby lead to systemic heart disease.

“Blocked blood vessels can also lead to erectile dysfunction, loss of sensation, stroke and visual impairment. This occurs when the blood vessels supplying blood to the retina is blocked”.

In her own contribution, Dr. Titilope Bamikefa, a Senior Registrar in the Department of Nephronology of LAUTECH, Osogbo stated that 25-30 per cent of DM patients usually come down with kidney disease and it takes between 10-15 years for patients with Diabetes to come down with kidney disease.

This, she said is because the disease is asymptomatic and does not present symptoms for a long time.

“DM has the characteristics of not having symptoms for a long time. This is why we encourage advocacy and screening.

“If it is diagnosed early, DM is treatable and reversible and one of the symptoms is desire to take excess fluid, urinating excessively, weight loss”.

They advised that in management of Diabetes, patients should screen for diabetes, hypertension and obesity and also change their eating habit.

“Diabetes screening includes checking for level of glucose in the body as excess of it is not good for the body”.

The treatment for DM according to the medical experts are education to allay fears and give hope to patients that the disease is not a death sentence, maintaining a healthy eating habit, and avoidance of junk, fatty and fried foods to reduce obesity.

Others include controlling of blood sugar (glucose) level, avoidance of self medication, stop usage of skin lightening creams, the need for health education, which is the taking of medication religiously.

In order to avoid cardiovascular risk factors, which are caused by Hypertension, Obesity and Diabetes, they urged people to check their hearts, lipids (fat) for abnormalities, control weight through exercise and the application of Dietary Approach to Stopping Hypertension (DASH) which include reduction of late night meals, reduction of salt intake, take more of fruits, reduction of refined foods with high caloric values, engage in exercises, monitor blood pressure and visiting the hospitals for follow-up.

They also warned that DM patients can come down with cardiovascular diseases, renal dysfunction, sight impairment, unhealed ulcers, amputation, obesity and erectile dysfunction.

Management of DM is individualized and not blanket and treatment depends on symptoms, they all agreed.

In accordance with the theme of the year 2018 celebrations, the experts maintained that family has a great role to play on the outcome, treatment and management of the disease’

They called on Non Governmental Organisations to increase their advocacy progammes and on government to make drugs and services available and also to increase funding on health establishment and maintenance of existing health facilities.

The World Diabetes Day is celebrated globally on the 14th November of every year and the theme of the year 2018 celebration is, “Family And Diabetes”.