What is pre-diabetes?

Introduction

Pre-diabetes is a condition that comes before type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but aren’t high enough to be called diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a silent disease, meaning you can have it but not know it. By reducing the calorie intake, being physically active and loosing weight can delay the type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus

People with risk factors should be identified and they should be educated on how to reduce those risk factors.

Cut down calorie intake
Stop smoking
Exercise about 30 minutes per day
Loosing weight

People who are at risks;

You’re at risk for diabetes if you

1. are overweight
2. are physically inactive
3. have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
4. are African American, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American
5. have had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or have had gestational diabetes
6. have high blood pressure (over 140/90 mmHg)
7. have low HDL cholesterol (35 mg/dl or lower)
8. or high triglycerides (250 mg/dl or higher)

Investigations

It does not have any symptoms therefore people with risk factors should undergo investigations.

1. fasting blood glucose

Pre-diabetes is diagnosed when fasting glucose levels are between 100 and 125 mg/dl. A fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dl or higher means diabetes.

2. oral glucose tolerance test

Pre-diabetes is diagnosed when blood glucose is between 140 and 199 mg/dl 2 hours after drinking glucose drink. These glucose levels are above normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. A 2-hour blood glucose of 200 mg/dl or higher means diabetes.


Treatment

There are no drugs to be effective in this condition. Only measures that patient should take is reduction of risk factors and undergoing regular assessments.