MANILA, Philippines - More than 347 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide. The personal and commercial impact of this epidemic is immense that there are now more people living with diabetes in Asia than elsewhere. According to the International Diabetes Foundation, the top five countries with the most diabetes sufferers in 2009 were: India, 50.8 million; China, 43.1 million; USA, 26.8 million; Russia, 9.6 million; and Brazil 7.6 million.
Long-term effects of diabetes can include: blindness, gangrene, renal failure, and heart disease. Globally, diabetes is consuming an even greater portion of medical costs, accounting for approximately 10 percent of all health care spending, according to the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice in 2010.
Dr. Jonathan O’Keeffe, medical director, Northern Europe, explains: “Over the last three years alone, we helped 1,500 individuals for diabetes-related issues through our assistance centers. We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg as diabetes is often a factor in other illnesses experienced by our members. With diabetes on the rise, an increasing number of people are living and working with the disease.”
Type 1 diabetes is called insulin-dependent diabetes and requires regular injections of insulin to stabilize blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes is much more common, accounting for 90 percent of all cases. Symptoms of diabetes can include thirst, fatigue, and frequent urination. In many instances, there are no symptoms of diabetes in the early stages; symptoms can be non-specific and go unnoticed.
A case study is a 52-year-old female traveller from Germany who was abroad on a business trip in Boston, Massachusetts. Over the previous six months, she had lost weight unintentionally. She had experienced dizzy spells and visual disturbances. After suffering a particularly strong sensation of vertigo and nausea, she called International SOS. The doctor at the London assistance center took her medical history and was concerned. He booked an appointment at an urgent care center in Boston and the attending doctor confirmed her blood sugar was high. She was admitted to the hospital to stabilize her blood sugar, for rehydration and to commence insulin. After her initial recovery, she was referred to an ophthalmologist for her eyesight. With proper diagnosis and management of her condition, she continued to improve and was able to manage her diabetes.
In many cases, type 2 diabetes is preventable. Dr. O’Keeffe said, “If you have risk factors for diabetes including a family history of the disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol, are overweight or pregnant, get tested for diabetes — even if you have no symptoms. In addition, some authorities recommend testing every three years for people over 45 years of age. While it is alarming to get a diagnosis of diabetes, in many cases, it is possible to monitor and control the condition so you live a normal, healthy life.”
Managing diabetes requires healthy lifestyle changes. Patients will need to monitor their blood sugar, may need to take medication regularly, and follow up with their doctor. Studies suggest that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days and a healthy diet can drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Travellers or expatriates with diabetes should carry their diabetes medication in their hand luggage, together with a copy of their prescription. It is important to take more than is needed for the duration of the trip as travellers never know if a trip will be unavoidably delayed or extended.
Another advice says: Keep medications in their original packaging with all pharmacy labeling intact.
People with diabetes should have a note from their healthcare provider on letterhead, describing the medication and why it’s needed. Having the note in English and the language of the destination country is very useful. If travellers run out of medication, they should call their medical assistance provider or see a doctor as soon as possible to get their specific preparation of insulin.
World Diabetes Day raises global awareness of diabetes, its escalating rates around the world, how to prevent and manage the illness. Started by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and WHO, it’s celebrated on November 14 to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, was instrumental in the discovery of insulin in 1922, a life-saving treatment for diabetes patients. This year’s campaign follows the theme of “Diabetes: Protect our Future” under the umbrella theme of “education and prevention” to stem the rise of diabetes worldwide.