Prediabetes - Symptoms, Causes and treatment

Prediabetes is a condition when blood sugar levels have exceeded normal limits but have not been categorized as type 2 diabetes. However, people with prediabetes can develop type 2 diabetes if they do not immediately change their lifestyle.

Prediabetes generally doesn't show any symptoms. However, to be more vigilant, someone whose blood sugar levels exceed normal limits must know the symptoms in people with type 2 diabetes, such as:

Prediabetes occurs when sugar (glucose) starts to build up in the bloodstream because the body can't process it properly. Glucose comes from food and will enter the bloodstream when food is digested. For glucose to be processed into energy, the body needs the help of the insulin hormone produced by the pancreas.

In people with prediabetes, this process is disrupted. Glucose, which should enter the body's cells to be processed into energy, builds up in the bloodstream. This occurs because the pancreas does not produce much insulin, or because of insulin resistance, which is when the body's cells cannot use insulin properly. If this condition continues, blood sugar levels will continue to increase, so that people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes.

The risk factors for prediabetes are the same as the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. This is because generally, people with type 2 diabetes have previously experienced prediabetes. These risk factors include:

There are three blood tests that doctors generally do to find out if a person has prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Patients will be asked to fast between 8 and 12 hours before undergoing a blood test. Fasting blood sugar levels in patients are considered normal if they are still below 100 mg / dL, and only enter prediabetes if the levels are between 100 to 125 mg / dL. Patients are considered to have type 2 diabetes if their fasting blood sugar levels are above 126 mg / dL.

After the blood sample is taken to check the fasting blood sugar test, the patient will be asked to drink liquid sugar, then the blood sample will be taken again two hours later.

Blood sugar levels can be said to be normal if the test results show less than 140 mg / dL, and you are considered prediabetes if the test results are between 140 to 199 mg / dL. Meanwhile, a test result that shows a sugar level of 200 mg / dL or more indicates that the patient has type 2 diabetes.

This blood test is done to find out the average level of blood sugar in the last 3 months, by measuring the percentage of blood sugar attached to red blood cells. The higher the blood sugar level, the higher the blood sugar attached to the red blood cells.

The patient's condition can be said to be normal if the HbA1c level is below 5.7%. A new patient is considered prediabetes if the HbA1c level is in the range of 5.7 to 6.4%, and has entered stage 2 diabetes if the HbA1c level is 6.5% and above.

Treatment for people with prediabetes is to start living a healthy lifestyle. Besides being able to normalize blood sugar levels again, a healthy lifestyle can also prevent prediabetes from developing into type 2 diabetes.

People with prediabetes can start a healthy lifestyle by increasing their physical activity. Choose sports that are not too demanding, and do them for 30 to 60 minutes a few days a week. Exercise will make the body use glucose as energy so that it prevents the buildup of glucose in the blood, and can reduce excess body weight. Reducing weight 5 to 10 percent of the total body weight can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes.

At the same time, change the diet from what has been the cause of high blood sugar levels to a healthy diet. Choose a diet that is high in fiber, but low in fat and calories, such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Besides, reduce alcohol consumption, limit salt intake to no more than 1500 mg per day, and also reduce sugary foods.

Consistent with a healthy diet and exercise, can make a person with prediabetes reach optimal body weight and avoid the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, if the patient is at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the doctor will prescribe metformin. Doctors can also prescribe drugs for other comorbidities such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

If not treated immediately, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes and other diseases, such as: