The key to success in controlling diabetes mellitus (DM) lies not only in taking special antihyperglycemic drugs and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also in careful self-monitoring.
Proper nutrition, adequate physical activity, medication, glycemic control — all these can be called the keys to health for patients with diabetes mellitus. This is the prevention of possible complications of diabetes and the basis of longevity, maintaining a high quality of life for the patient.
Proper nutrition, adequate physical activity, medication, glycemic control — all these are the keys to health for patients.
Modern diagnostic methods in medicine, including diabetology, has made it possible for any person to independently control the blood sugar content — without the need for medical institutions, at any time in life, with minimal time expenditure — on portable individual glucometers. However, when asked about the frequency of blood sugar measurements, most patients answer that blood sugar is measured at best every day on an empty stomach, and some — only 1-2 times a week.
Why do i need blood sugar monitoring?
How important is self-control for a diabetic? Blood sugar is very variable. It reacts to any, even imperceptible for the patient himself, changes in the environment and internal environment, participating in the adaptation mechanisms of the organism. Any changes in this indicator are very important — an increase (hyperglycemia) or a decrease below normal (hypoglycemia).
The state of hyperglycemia can be triggered by the following factors:
- intake of carbohydrate foods;
- emotional stress;
- prolonged hard physical work;
- increased body temperature and blood pressure;
- exacerbation of a chronic or acute disease— conditions accompanied by the production of counterinsular hormones …
- …and vice versa:
- moderate physical work;
- fasting or lack of carbohydrate food intake.
Disfunction of the endocrine glands (hypothyroidism, hypocorticoid) leads to a decrease in blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If in a healthy person in such situations, the normalization of glucose concentration occurs due to changes in the internal mechanisms of regulation, then a patient with diabetes mellitus needs to be corrected independently or with the participation of medical personnel. Otherwise, the absence or lateness of these events can lead to tragic consequences.
It is important to know that prolonged hyperglycemia associated with malnutrition, insufficient physical activity or an inadequate dose of hypoglycemic agents leads to chronic irreversible damage to target organs, accelerating pathological processes and leading to the development of complications (angiopathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, gastropathy, etc. .). Frequent large fluctuations from hypo- to hyperglycemia are also dangerous.