Diabetes patients and self care programme
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HYDERABAD (APP): People with diabetes needs to play active role in their own care, however they required to learned how they could manage their health effectively to get proper treatment and medical advice in time .
These views were expressed by Consultant Physician and Diabetologist Professor .Dr. Bikha Ram Devrajani while talking to APP here on Saturday.
Dr. Bikha Ram said that diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease caused by the bodys inability to produce insulin, or by the ineffective use of the insulin produced. Such a deficiency results in increased concentrations of glucose in the blood, which in turn damage many of the body's systems, added.
He informed that the diabetic foot problems are caused by changes in blood vessels and nerves that can lead to ulceration and subsequent limb amputation.
He said that the daily life of diabetic patients is disrupted by the need to monitor blood glucose levels, take medication, and balance the effect of activity and food.
Dr. Bikha Ram informed that amputations due to diabetes cause unnecessary loss of life and disability. In high-income countries, treatment of diabetic foot complication accounts for 15-25 percent of total health care resources for diabetes, he added.
He said that this is an enormous waste of not only scarce public health resources but also of healthy lives and it is estimated that with basic diabetes management and care, between 50 percent and 85 percent of all diabetic foot amputations can be prevented.
He informed that the leg and foot amputations in people with diabetes can be prevented using low cost, low technology solutions and simple behaviors should be encouraged such as regular foot examination and examining the inside of shoes before putting them on, not walking barefoot, wearing comfortable shoes, keeping feet clean, and maintaining good care of the skin and nails, he added.
Dr. Bikha Ram said that the diabetes is one of the most chronic diseases of adult and childhood and it can strike children of any age including infants and toddlers.
Prof Dr.Bikha warned that today more than 240 million people worldwide are living with diabetes and within 20 years this number is expected to grow to 380 million. Children are not spared from this global epidemic, with its debilitating and life-threatening complications, he added.
About the diet and nutrition Prof: Bikha Ram said that patients are usually dependent on soup kitchens or shelters for meals, and it may be difficult to plan meals to coincide with insulin administration. He explained that the coincide should work with shelters and soup kitchens to promote healthy food choices and to provide supplemental snacks to those with diabetes.
About exercise he said that few patients who are homeless, walking is their typical exercise and they usually carry their belongings, which increases the exercise effort. He said that patients with foot problems should take precautionary measures such as proper footwear.
Dr. Bikha Ram Devrajani said that foot problems often result from prolonged standing and walking. When combined with diabetes, the patient is at high-risk for foot ulcers.
