How is prediabetes different from diabetes?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Tran Quoc Tuan - Emergency Resuscitation Doctor - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital
Although prediabetes is not necessarily true diabetes, if not detected and treated early, it can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and a number of other dangerous complications to your health.

1. How is prediabetes different from diabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition that occurs when your blood sugar is above normal but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. Normally, fasting blood sugar levels range from 110 to 125 mg. /dL is considered to be in the prediabetes range. A blood sugar level below 110 mg/dL is normal, and more than 126 mg/dL is diabetes.
Abnormal changes in blood glucose levels usually occur when the body's tissues do not respond well to the signal of the hormone insulin (secreted by the pancreas) to absorb sugar from the blood. In addition, the body also does not produce enough insulin to be able to overcome the weak response of the tissues to insulin.
Although prediabetes is not a true diabetes, it can still adversely affect the health of the heart and circulatory system of the body over the long term. It is a potential risk factor for the onset of diabetes in otherwise healthy individuals. Even prediabetes can lead to the development of dangerous hardening of the arteries.

2. Common Symptoms of Prediabetes

It is difficult to tell if someone is pre-diabetic by mere observation. Because people with prediabetes often don't have any obvious symptoms. To detect prediabetes will require specialist diagnostic tests, such as blood tests.
Under certain circumstances, a person may have symptoms that indicate high blood sugar, including:
Frequent urination Blurred vision Fatigue Increased thirst In addition, some people have pre-diarrhea Sugar can show signs of insulin resistance, such as darkening of the skin in the armpits, back, and sides of the neck, or small pimples on the skin.
If you feel any abnormality in your body, or have the symptoms listed above, it's best to see a doctor as soon as possible for a diagnosis and timely remedy. time.

3. What causes prediabetes?

Currently, scientists still do not know the exact cause of prediabetes, but some studies have shown that genetic factors seem to be related to insulin resistance of the body. body. The disorder of the genes that control insulin makes the body not use this hormone properly, thereby causing excess sugar to accumulate in the blood, leading to increased blood sugar levels. One of the other factors that also contribute to the development of prediabetes is excess fat in the body, especially fat in the abdominal area.
Here are some factors that can increase your risk of prediabetes, including:
*Sedentary: Lack of physical activity increases your risk of prediabetes. Therefore, you should exercise regularly every day to help control your weight, and at the same time help metabolize blood sugar to provide energy for the body's activities.
*Overweight: This is one of the main risk factors for prediabetes. The more adipose tissue in the body, especially the fatty tissue concentrated inside the muscles or the skin around the abdomen, the stronger the insulin resistance of the cells becomes.
*Waist Size: The body's insulin resistance is expressed through large waist size. So, the larger your waist size, the higher your risk of prediabetes. For women, the risk is increased if the waist is larger than 89 cm, and for men, 102 cm.
*Family history: Your risk of developing prediabetes is higher if you have a close family member, such as a parent, or sibling with type 2 diabetes.
*Race: Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians are at higher risk than other races.
*Polycystic ovary syndrome: This is a common condition in women, characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, obesity or hirsutism. This also increases the risk of prediabetes and diabetes in women.

Gestational diabetes: If a woman has diabetes during pregnancy, her risk of developing true diabetes increases later in life. In addition, if you give birth to a baby weighing more than 4.1 kg, your risk of diabetes is also very high.
*Quality of sleep: Certain sleep problems, such as sleep apnea, can increase the body's risk of insulin resistance. People who are prone to this problem often work in environments where they often stay up at night, or their biological clocks are disturbed. This contributes to an increased risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

4. Complications of Prediabetes

One of the most dangerous complications of prediabetes that is not treated early is type 2 diabetes. The development of type 2 diabetes also leads to other serious complications, including:
Heart disease Hypertension Kidney disease Stroke High cholesterol Level amputation Blindness Does prediabetes always progress to type 2 diabetes? It's not always possible to develop prediabetes into type 2 diabetes. Because people who change to a healthier diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight can lead to significant weight loss. It can measure blood sugar levels, and can even bring blood sugar back to normal.
In fact, early detection of prediabetes can offer a good chance to help you quickly change your lifestyle to become more active to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
Diagnosis prediabetes Prediabetes can only be detected through diagnostic blood tests, as most people with prediabetes do not show specific symptoms.
Here are some tests that help diagnose prediabetes, including:
*Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) test: This blood test measures your average blood sugar over about 2-3 months. past. The HbA1C test measures the ratio of blood sugar to a protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the body's red blood cells. The higher the blood sugar level, the more hemoglobin is bound to the sugar. When blood test results show that your HbA1C level ranges from 6 to 6.5%, you have prediabetes. However, under certain circumstances, such as during pregnancy, the HbA1C test may give incorrect results. So you can have some more diagnostic tests to determine your exact condition.
*Fasting blood sugar test: For this test, your doctor will take a sample of your blood to test, provided you have fasted for at least 8 hours or overnight.
*Oral Glucose Tolerance : This test is also done if you have fasted for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Your doctor will then make you drink a solution containing sugar, and measure your blood sugar again after 2 hours.

5. How to prevent prediabetes?

To prevent prediabetes, you should build yourself a reasonable and strong diet, including eating lots of vegetables, reducing carbs, limiting foods high in sugar and processed foods. available variable.
In addition, you should also try to increase your physical activities to repel the factors that contribute to the development of prediabetes. Every day, you should exercise for at least 30 minutes, or walk about 10,000 steps. Regular exercise will help your body use insulin more efficiently, thereby lowering blood sugar to normal levels. Furthermore, physical activity is also very beneficial in losing or maintaining weight, contributing to a lower risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Sleep is also very important for health. your overall. A good night's sleep and enough sleep not only help you have a clear mind to work effectively, but also prevent the risk of prediabetes.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has a Cardiovascular and Diabetes Screening package, which helps patients detect the disease promptly even when there are no symptoms, thereby taking appropriate treatment measures to protect own health.
If you have a need for consultation and examination at Vinmec Hospitals under the nationwide health system, please book an appointment on the website for service.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com