AHO calls for an Africa-wide diabetes screening programme
An Africa-wide type 2 diabetes screening programme should be introduced to help diagnose people earlier and prevent complications, AHO said. This is because people may have type 2 diabetes without any symptoms for many years before they are diagnosed.
When people do develop symptoms, which can include excess toilet trips, extreme thirst and tiredness, they are very often overlooked.
The research team took a series of blood samples from 200,000 people aged between 40 and 70 using the UK Biobank database. They found there were more than 2,000 undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes among those people.
The team presented their findings at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).
Lead researcher Dr Katherine Young said: “As people can have type 2 diabetes for many years without symptoms, diagnosis may be delayed, increasing the risk of complications. Our study shows that population-level screening could identify cases of type 2 diabetes far earlier and potentially reduce complications.
“The identification of these patients for whom primary care records are available in UK Biobank gives us a unique opportunity to study the impact of this delay on the risk of developing complications in the future.
“While preliminary results suggest that delays in receiving a diagnosis for those with undiagnosed diabetes did not significantly impact diabetes-related complications in this group of people, further research is required to ascertain whether screening for diabetes in this age group would reduce diabetes-related complications.”
The study was published in the Diabetologia journal.
How fast do the symptoms of diabetes develop?
Knowing and recognising the symptoms of diabetes is essential. Catching diabetes at an early stage can delay or prevent the development of serious complications.
Type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the signs and symptoms can develop very quickly, and can develop significantly over the course of weeks or even days – particularly in children or adolescents.
In addition to the symptoms above, symptoms of type 1 diabetes can also include dry mouth.
The main symptoms of diabetes are significantly increased thirst, needing to urinate more often than usual and increased hunger.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
The common symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes are:
Common symptoms of diabetes
Polydipsia
Polyuria
Polyphagia
Fatigue
Dizziness
Weight Loss
Blurred Vision
Slow Healing
Genital Itchiness
Nausea
If you notice that you have some or all of these symptoms, contact your GP immediately.
How fast do the symptoms of diabetes develop?
Knowing and recognising the symptoms of diabetes is essential. Catching diabetes at an early stage can delay or prevent the development of serious complications.
Type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the signs and symptoms can develop very quickly, and can develop significantly over the course of weeks or even days – particularly in children or adolescents.
In addition to the symptoms above, symptoms of type 1 diabetes can also include dry mouth.
In children and younger adults, signs such as increased urination, increased thirst, tiredness and sudden weight loss tend to be the most noticeable symptoms.
Having history of type 1 diabetes in your family increases the chances of developing type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes tends to develop more slowly, usually over a period of months or even years. It can also lead on from pre-diabetes.
The symptoms can appear very gradually, which can make spotting the signs more difficult.
In addition to the symptoms above, symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include dry mouth and leg pain.
It is not uncommon for people to live with type 2 diabetes for years without being aware of their condition.
These cases of undiagnosed diabetes may sometimes only be picked up during a routine medical check-up
Where can I get tested for diabetes?
If you have any of the symptoms listed above and think you may have diabetes, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Your GP will be able to carry out checks to determine whether or not you have diabetes.
Go to the doctor immediately to minimise the risk of complications
Spotting the signs of diabetes early on is vital and can help prevent the development of serious complications.
The earlier diabetes is diagnosed, the earlier it can be treated and controlled which, in turn, will reduce the risk of complications.
In people with type 1 diabetes, a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis is common. If untreated, this can result in extremely serious complications and even death, but it can be the first indicator of the presence of type 1 diabetes.
This occurs when acid compounds, ketones, form in the blood. A doctor testing you for type 1 diabetes may also wish to test for ketones to prevent ketoacidosis occurring.
If type 2 diabetes is left undiagnosed for a number of years, it could lead to the development of the following prior to diagnosis:
- Nerve damage – neuropathy
- Retinal damage – retinopathy or
- Kidney damage – nephropathy
Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state is a condition that may occur if type 2 diabetes develops without medical treatment.