Diabetes Mellitus (Mate Huka) is having too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. This happens because the body cannot make enough effective insulin to break down the glucose in the blood. Complications of diabetes include heart disease, kidney, nerve, feet and eye damage. Diabetes is a major health issue. It is estimated that up to 3,000 Northlanders have diabetes that they are not aware of. This is because diabetes can be present for several years before symptoms emerge and many people who have undiagnosed diabetes feel well.
Should we find out if we have diabetes?
Active screening is one key weapon in the battle with diabetes. Early detection can reduce complications to allow people with diabetes the best of health for longer. This is why Broadway Health Centre and other Primary Health Practices in Northland have been involved in a Diabetes Screening Pilot. The aim of this is to detect diabetes early and hopefully before complications have begun to emerge so that these can be prevented, or at the very least delayed. This means screening the people most at risk of developing diabetes.
Preliminary results are a number of patients who have been asymptomatic have been diagnosed with diabetics. In addition a group of “pre diabetics” have been identified and we hope that by changes to diet and lifestyle the onset of diabetes can be delayed or prevented for these people.
Who is at risk?
Maori, Pacific Islanders and Asians have been shown to have greater risk other groups in our community with diabetes occurring more frequently but also at an earlier age. For this reason screening is recommended from age 35yrs in these groups. For the rest of the community it is from 45yrs.
Other people at greater risk are women who had diabetes in pregnancy and those with close family/whanau with diabetes. Being overweight, having high blood pressure or having a history of having a heart attack or stroke may also place you at greater risk of having this condition.
What does screening involve?
In the first case a fasting blood test. This means not having eaten, or had any fluid other than water, for 12hrs before the test. For most people the results of this test are normal (between 4-8). If the result is above 8 your doctor or nurse will contact you to arrange further tests or follow-up
How to access screening
Contact your usual General Practitioner or Health Provider. It is so much better to know if you have diabetes early and do something about it, rather than find out about it later when it has already cause permanent damage to your body.
